Charitable Contributions Policy

1. Purpose

To define how the Library may support charitable organisations while safeguarding public funds, maintaining transparency, and complying with municipal, provincial, and charitable‑registration requirements.

2. Scope

Applies to all Fort Erie Public Library Board members, staff, volunteers, and any library‑controlled facilities or resources.

3. Definitions

• Charitable organization – a registered nonprofit that seeks donations or assistance for charitable purposes.
• Program space – rooms or areas within library premises that can be used for meetings, workshops, or informational displays.
• Library materials – books, audiovisual items, digital resources, and any other items owned by the library that may be loaned or displayed.

4. Policy Statement

The Library is committed to supporting community charitable efforts in ways that are consistent with its status as a publicly funded charity. Accordingly, all individuals covered by this policy must adhere to the following expectations:

• Financial assistance – the Library will not allocate funds of any kind to external charities.
• In‑kind support – assistance may be provided through loaning materials, posting information, offering program space, developing bibliographies, or sharing staff expertise.
• Purchasing for collection – the library may acquire organisational publications, institutional memberships, or advertising when it aligns with library activities and adds value to the collection.

Operations details

In the event that a charitable organization requests financial assistance from the Fort Erie Public Library Board, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) shall respond by advising that the library system itself is a registered charity and is funded through municipal and provincial taxes and does not direct those tax dollars to outside organizations.

Solicitations by charitable organizations such as tag days (i.e. Apple Day, Daffodil Day) are permitted outside library buildings.

The library will not maintain cash donor boxes for charities in its branches, however, in recognition of the contribution of Canada’s War Veterans and in their memory, Poppies are allowed to be displayed and distributed in all library branches.

The library may also provide space to allow for drop off of goods for the charitable programs of non-profit community groups (i.e. food, clothing, glasses, etc.). The Fort Erie Public Library assumes no responsibility in the event donor boxes are lost or stolen.

5. Responsibilities

• Board of Directors – reviews and approves any changes to this policy and monitors overall compliance.
• Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – responds to charitable‑assistance requests, ensures the policy is followed, and provides guidance on appropriate actions.
• Supervisors – communicate the policy to staff, oversee day‑to‑day implementation, and monitor use of library spaces and resources.
• Employees / volunteers – follow the policy when interacting with charitable organizations, and report any concerns or deviations to management.

6. Compliance & Consequences

Failure to comply may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination, depending on the severity of the breach. Reports of non‑compliance will be investigated promptly and addressed in accordance with the library’s disciplinary procedures.

7. Communication

This policy will be distributed to all applicable parties via Rise and Sharepoint.

8. References & Related Statements of Policy

• Monetary Donations Policy

9. Anticipated Review Date

The next scheduled review of this policy is December 2030.