TRIP PAYMENTS

1. Who is responsible for Global Village trip costs?

Global Village trip costs are covered by the participant. Participants can either cover all of their own costs or fundraise for the posted Trip Cost and the eligible airfare/travel (see item 11).  Many trips include some R&R days as part of the posted itinerary. The R&R costs are also the responsibility of the participant but they are not included in the Trip Cost and do not qualify for a tax receipt.

2. Payment Schedule: 

a) The Deposit is due within two weeks of acceptance on a team. If you want to fundraise for your deposit, it must be done within the 2 week period.

b) The Balance is due 6 weeks prior to your departure. 

c) NOTE: If you are fundraising for your airfare, it can be received by Global Village right up until your departure and even up to 30 days after the official end date of your build.

2. Are trip payments considered donations?

As a Canadian Registered Charity, Habitat for Humanity Canada is able to offer charitable tax receipts to all Canadian donors and participants on Global Village or Canada Builds trips, for specified trip costs including eligible airfare/travel expenses (see criteria in item 11).

3. How do I make trip payments?

 a) You can mail a cheque or money order payable to Habitat for Humanity Canada at:
Habitat for Humanity Canada, Global Village  403-477 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, ON M4S 2L9

b) Online payments/donation for your own trip can be made using this link

c) If you are fundraising you can use the Global Village online fundraising tool by following this link.

4. When will charitable tax receipts for trip donation/ payment be issued? 

Tax receipts will be issued approximately 6 weeks after a donation is received by mail. For on-line donations, electronic tax receipts are sent to the email address you provide when making the donation. Please check all email folders including junk and spam folders.  

5. Who should I contact if I lost my tax receipt?

If you did not receive or have misplaced your tax receipt one can be reissued by contacting donations@habitat.ca or by calling 1-800-667-5137 ext 350.

FUNDRAISING

6. Can I fundraise for my Global Village trip costs?

Every participant can fundraise for their trip costs and the eligible airfare/travel (see item 11). Fundraising cannot commence until you have been accepted onto a trip. 

7. Should I use the Global Village fundraising tool if I want to be a fundraiser?

Global Village is pleased to offer a fundraising tool for participants. The online product has many templated solicitation letters, thank you emails and tracking devices. We encourage fundraisers to review the options. However, participants are welcome to fundraiser in the manner of their choosing.

8. What kinds of fundraising can I do?

It is very important to understand that your local Habitat office is actively fundraising in your community. If you are thinking about requesting money from a business or corporation or fundraising in a public location, (setting up a display at a local store, advertising a dinner/silent auction fundraiser through your local paper, etc.) you must contact your local Habitat office before beginning to request their approval.  We want to make sure that your fundraising efforts are not in competition with theirs. Their contact information is on the HFH Canada website

Participants are free to fundraise among their friends, relatives and co-workers without contacting the local HFH offices. Please read our Fundraising Guide.

Please note: Municipal offices require any raffle or auction to be registered. Habitat for Humanity Canada is not able to support applications for raffles or auctions.

9. What kind of fundraising does NOT qualify for tax receipts?

a) Donations received from a fundraiser where the donor receives or has the potential of receiving a benefit (car wash, bake sale, silent auction, etc.). Such donations can be sent to Global Village in a lump sum marked as Non-receiptable fundraising money. Please complete a Donation Form

b) Donations received from a dinner event. The cost of the dinner must be paid for separately and deducted from the donation before it is sent to Global Village. 

10. What should I do with cash and cheques from fundraising campaigns? 

Do not send cash in the mail. Please send a completed donation form along with the cheque or money order payable to Habitat for Humanity Canada and sent to:  

Habitat for Humanity Canada Global Village                                                                                   

403 - 477 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, ON M4S 2L9       

Funds must be received by HFHC in order for donors to receive receipts.

AIRFARE

11. Can I receive a tax receipt for airfare/travel expenses?

When the primary purpose of the participant’s trip is to voluntarily carry out the mission and work of HFHC, their airfare/travel expenses that meet the eligibility criteria described in the Airfare Guidelines will qualify for a charitable tax receipt.         

12. How do I claim the tax receipt for airfare/travel?

Airfare/travel tax receipts can only be claimed after the build. You will receive an email confirming the eligibility criteria and Gift in Kind form after you return from your build. Submissions will need to include the Gift in Kind form, copy of your travel itinerary and copy of all travel costs. Receipts are issued with 6 weeks of submission if criteria is met.

13. Can I fundraised for my airfare/travel?

Yes, however, you must pay for your airfare/travel when you purchase it. Money fundraised for eligible airfare/travel can only be reimbursed to participants after the build.  

14. Can I be reimbursed for money that I raise above and beyond my airfare/travel expenses?

No. Since the donors have been given tax receipts, this money must be used for HFHC purposes. Therefore, excess money raised above and beyond trip cost and eligible airfare/travel remains a donation to the Global Village program. Excess funds can not be held for a future trip but can be transferred to another participant on your trip if the transfer request is submitted before the trip start date.

CANCELLATIONS

15. What if I sign up for a trip but have to cancel?

We hope that everyone who joins a trip will be able to go but we understand that sometimes participants must cancel. Your funds and donations do not qualify for a refund in this case but it is our hope that you will be able to participate on a GV trip at a later time and we will hold your payments/donation for a future trip according to our Payment and Cancellation policy.

16. What if the Global Village office must cancel a trip? 

a. Global Village will contact you and provide options for you to join another trip.

b. If you are not able to join another trip, you can request a full refund for yourself and your donors. The charitable tax receipts will become void.

c. You could request that your donations be put on hold for a future trip.Note:  We cannot compensate you for the cost of unusable airfare or any other expenses resulting from the cancellation. Please ask your travel agent about trip cancellation insurance.