Registered Canadian amateur athletic associations (RCAAAs)

The following provides the lists of RCAAAs and information about their obligations under the Income Tax Act.

Further information on the measures applicable to RCAAAs as a result of Budget 2011 is being developed. Until this information becomes available, go to Enhancing the regulatory regime for registered Canadian amateur athletic associations. 

• List of RCAAAs 
• Registration
• Issuing official donation receipts
• Books and records
• Sanctions
• Objections

Registration

For information on how to apply for registration as an RCAAA, go to Canadian amateur athletic associations.

Issuing official donation receipts

RCAAAs can issue official donation receipts for income tax purposes for gifts that they receive from corporations or individuals.

To do so, they must determine whether they have received a gift for the purposes of the Act and the eligible amount of the gift. For more information, see What is a gift and Pamphlet P113, Gifts and Income Tax.

Official donation receipts must be legible and cannot be readily altered. Each receipt must include:

• a statement that it is an official receipt for income tax purposes;
• the name and address of the RCAAA;
• its unique serial number;
• the registration number, issued to the RCAAA by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA);
• the place or locality where the receipt was issued;
• the day or year the donation was received;
• the day on which the receipt was issued if it differs from the day of donation;
• the full name, including middle initial, and address of the donor;
• the eligible amount of the gift;
• the signature of an individual authorized by the RCAAA to acknowledge donations; and
• the name and Web site address of the CRA - www.cra.gc.ca/charitiesandgiving.

If an official donation receipt is being issued for non-cash gifts (gifts in kind), it must include these additional elements:

• the day on which the donation was received (if not already included);
• a brief description of the property transferred to the RCAAA;
• the name and address of the appraiser (if the property was appraised); and
• the fair market value of the property at the time the gift was made. 

Books and records

To maintain their qualified donee status, RCAAAs must keep adequate books and records containing:

• information to allow the CRA to verify revenues including all donations for which donors can claim tax credits or deductions;
• information to allow the CRA to confirm that they meet the requirements for registration as a Canadian amateur athletic association under the Income Tax Act; and
• a duplicate of each receipt containing the information listed above for each donation received.

Books and records must be kept at the Canadian address that the RCAAA has on file with the CRA and must be provided to the CRA on request. 

Books and records include, but are not limited to:

• governing documents (incorporating documents, constitution, trust document)
• bylaws
• financial statements
• copies of the annual information return (Form T2052),
• written agreements
• contracts
• board and staff meeting minutes
• annual reports
• ledgers
• bank statements
• expense accounts
• inventories
• investment agreements
• accountant's working papers
• payroll records
• promotional materials
• fundraising materials

Books and records also include source documents, such as:

• invoices
• vouchers
• formal contracts
• work orders
• delivery slips
• purchase orders
• bank deposit slips

For more information about maintaining proper books and records, including the types of records that should be kept, retention periods, and electronic records, see Guide RC4409, Keeping Records.

Sanctions

The CRA now has additional tools to encourage compliance with the requirements of the Income Tax Act. Previously, if an RCAAA failed to comply, CRA’s only recourse was to revoke its registered status. As of January 1, 2012, the CRA can apply new intermediate sanctions that include financial penalties and the suspension of qualified donee status. This means an RCAAA could lose its right to issue official donation receipts and to receive gifts from registered charities for one year.

Sanctions are often the result of an audit. The CRA’s administrative practice is to provide written reasons for any proposed sanction or decision, and give organizations an opportunity to respond.

For a list of sanctions that apply to RCAAAs, go to Penalties and suspensions.

Objections

An RCAAA that objects to an assessment or a notice can appeal the CRA’s decision by filing a notice of objection within 90 days after the day on which the notice was mailed. The notice of objection must be in writing and provide the reasons for the objection and all the relevant facts.

For more information about this process, go to Objections and appeals.