Charities

If you are a charity hoping to be a donation recipient, learn how you can engage startups in your fundraising

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Overview

How Companies Choose Charities

  • Companies can choose any registered Canadian charity that is meaningful to the founder and/or team

  • A charity can be selected at the time of the company's initial equity donation, when they have a liquidity event, or any time in between

  • Companies can choose to allocate their donation to more than one charity

Our Role: Upside can assist founders with charity selection if desired, but does not have a list of preferred charities to recommend. We encourage founders to choose an organization that is meaningful to them.

How Charities Engage with Upside

  • Incorporate equity pledges through Upside into a long-term fundraising strategy

  • Leverage individuals from charity's own network (e.g. influential entrepreneurs or investors from Board) to build awareness for your cause and encourage founders to pledge equity through Upside


Our Role: Upside can share best practices - as well as provide templates, tools, and guidance - for charities looking to fundraise through equity pledges.

Who is a fit?

Your charity is a fit to incorporate equity donation fundraising through The Upside Foundation if you:

  • Are a registered Canadian charity

  • Serve any cause that adheres to fundamental human rights principles (see Donation Policy on FAQ page for more information)

  • Are already connected to entrepreneurs or influential leaders, and/or are willing to dedicate time and effort to engage people

See Impact page for charities who have already benefitted from Upside liquidity events.

How it works

If a company decides to support your charity through an equity pledge with Upside, the donation process is as follows:

Company donates equity (a portion of ownership in their business) to The Upside Foundation of Canada

Company has a liquidity event (goes public or is acquired), equity is converted to cash

10% of the donation supports the future of Upside Foundation, with the remaining cash donation granted to the charity(ies) of the founder’s choosing

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Note: Donations are highly unpredictable in value, time horizon and likelihood: occurring only if the company experiences a liquidity event (many will not), in anywhere from 2-15 years, with the final amount varying based on amount of equity pledged and company value, ranging from hundreds of dollars to millions.

Steps to Engage

Incorporate equity donations through Upside into your long-term fundraising strategy

Identify individuals in your own networks to champion your cause within the startup community

Encourage entrepreneurs in your network (see How it Works to learn what companies are a fit) to pledge equity to your charity

Work with Upside to facilitate legal documentation to make donation official

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Contact us.

info@upsidefoundation.ca