Gathering Information
Gathering information
Before you begin to complete the information return, gather information from several sources. It will be easier to complete the forms if you have all the information at hand.
The lists on this page cover most of the items small and rural charities need to complete forms T3010-1, T1235(09), and T1236(10). Depending on your situation, you may need additional pieces of information. See the Handouts section of the Charity Filing Guide for Word versions of the tables on this page that you can modify. The handouts have spaces to enter your charity's information in each box.
Links to information on this page
Information about your charityInformation about activities
Information about board members and trustees
Information about finances
Information about groups your charity gave gifts to
See other pages in the Charity Filing Guide
Links to the CRA website
Information about your charity
| What you need | Where it belongs |
| Charity's full legal name | Basic Information Sheet, T3010-1 |
| Fiscal year-end date (month and day) | Basic Information Sheet, T3010-1 |
| BN/registration number | Basic Information Sheet, T3010-1 |
| Website address (if you have one) | T3010-1 |
| Designation (charitable organization, public foundation, private foundation) | Basic Information Sheet, T3010-1 |
| Name and BN/registration number of parent organization (if you have one) | T3010-1 |
| Charity's physical location (street address, lot, or concession number, not PO box or RR number) | T3010-1 |
| Address where your books and records are stored (street address, lot, or concession number, not PO box or RR number) | T3010-1 |
| Mailing address (P.O. Box, if you have one) | Basic Information Sheet |
| Names of individuals who have the authority to sign on behalf of your charity. | T3010-1 |
Information about activities
| What you need | Where it belongs |
| Short descriptions of ongoing programs | T3010-1 |
| Short descriptions of new programs (if any) | T3010-1 |
| Political activities - types of political activities | T3010-1 |
| Political activities - amount spent on political activities | T3010-1 |
| Fundraising - types of fundraising activities | T3010-1 |
| Fundraising - payment types for external fundraisers | T3010-1 |
| Fundraising - names of external fundraisers | T3010-1 |
| Fundraising - arm's length status of external fundraisers | T3010-1 |
| Types of non-cash gifts received (if any) | T3010-1 |
Information about board members and trustees
| What you need - public information (mandatory) | Where it belongs |
| Last name | T1235(09), T3010-1 |
| Middle initial | T1235(09), T3010-1 |
| First name | T1235(09), T3010-1 |
| Position on board | T1235(09), T3010-1 |
| Term start date | T1235(09) |
| Term end date | T1235(09) |
| Arm's length status | T1235(09) |
| What you need - confidential information (mandatory) | Where it belongs |
| Home address - street number and name | T1235(09) |
| Home address - city | T1235(09) |
| Home address - province/territory | T1235(09) |
| Home address - postal code | T1235(09) |
| Home address - phone number | T1235(09) |
| Birthdate | T1235(09) |
Information about finances
| What you need | Where it belongs |
| Income and expenses (may be called an income statement, statement of operations, or a profit and loss statement) | T3010-1 |
| Assets and liabilities (may be called a balance sheet or a statement of financial position) | T3010-1 |
| Salary ranges including benefits (compensation) for full-time employees | T3010-1 |
| Number of full-time employees in each salary range | T3010-1 |
| Trial balance (computerized accounting system) | T3010-1 |
| Ledger(s) (manual bookkeeping) | T3010-1 |
Information about groups your charity gave gifts to
| What you need | Where it belongs |
| Total number of groups (Qualified Donees or other organizations) | T1236(10) |
| Name of organization | T1236(10) |
| Associated status | T1236(10) |
| BN/registration number | T1236(10) |
| City and province or territory for Canadian groups | T1236(10) |
| Location of overseas groups (country; verify spelling) | T1236(10) |
| Amount of designated gifts given to each group | T1236(10) |
| Amount of gifts-in-kind given to each group | T1236(10) |
| Total amount gifts given to each group | T1236(10) |
See other pages in the Charity Filing Guide
See Keeping on Track for record keeping tips
See Handouts for Word documents you can modify to fit your situation.
Links to the CRA website
Charities Directorate website
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/charities/
Guide T4033-1 Completing the Registered Charity Information Return
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/T4033-1/README.html
