2007/2008 Membership Drive

Thank you to all our volunteers and members whose hard work and commitment have, over the years, made this festival the best jazz festival in the country. We could not do what we do without you.

Dear Friends of the Festival,

We’re writing with updates on a number of things –

• our membership campaign for 2007/08
• an opportunity to donate stocks to the festival!

I’ll begin with the last item first.

Brand New Opportunity - Helping the Festival With Donations of Stocks and Bonds!

As some of you may know, recently the federal budget allowed charitable organizations to offer tax receipts to their donors for 100% of the amount of the gift of securities. The benefit to the holder of stocks or other securities is that when the stock is donated to a charity, the capital gains on the stock is eliminated and the donor gets a tax receipt to the full value of the appreciated cost of the security.

This new initiative has an enormously positive impact for organizations in the not for profit, charitable sector, like the jazz festival. The charity must liquidate the security once it is received which allows access to important cash. And, the donor gets to use the tax receipt against their income for the year!

Since we are facing cutbacks in almost all sources of traditional funding both public sector (government) and corporate support, this opportunity represents the potential to increase our private fundraising by a substantial amount. The beauty of this new legislation for donors is the tax advantage it provides: no capital gains tax and a tax receipt worth 100% of the value of the stock! For some, this could be extremely advantageous! There is lots of information available if you’d like more details. All of this information will also be posted on our website – www.ottawajazzfestival.com

John Jackson, the festival’s Treasurer and Membership Campaign Chairperson would be happy to answer your questions – 613-761-3085. You can also talk to our representative at TD Canada Trust – Hilary Abel, Investment Consultant at 613-782-1201 ext. 247.

Membership Campaign

As you know, your Membership contribution is vital to the ongoing success of the festival year round and during the festival.  Your membership contribution gets you first access to those tickets among other great things. 

You should also know that your membership contribution goes directly to helping us present great artists as well as help support our education initiatives like the Galaxie Jazz Youth All Stars – which by the way – gives out not one, but two scholarships to promising jazz students as they pursue their jazz studies! Your support does a lot of things – mostly keeping great jazz alive in our community! We hope you can give generously!

We hope you’ll support the festival with your renewal, or, help us out by donating for the first time!  Please contact us for more details on membership benefits!  Contact: Michelle Francis, Membership Services Manager.

Keep swinging,

Catherine O’Grady
Executive Producer