Charities and Not-for-Profit

Non profit and charitable organizations face unique and diverse challenges, but we offer comprehensive services to help overcome difficulties and access opportunities

Farris has broad experience working with clients from the charitable and non-profit sector in all aspects of their operations, including CRA and other regulatory compliance issues, incorporation, applying for charitable status, corporate maintenance, dissolution, and strategic and governance advice. We serve clients across British Columbia and Canada, and international organizations that carry on operations in Canada. We regularly work with registered British Columbia societies and federally incorporated not-for-profit corporations, statutory entities, campaigning and advocacy groups, religious organizations, universities, independent schools, sports clubs, community groups, and other kinds of voluntary sector organizations.

In conjunction with our Private Client Services group, we also regularly advise on gifting arrangements including significant charitable gifts to public and private foundations, gifts of ecologically sensitive lands, gifts of Canadian cultural property including artworks, establishing and structuring endowments and complex gift agreements.

Our litigation and dispute resolution team has considerable experience with a broad range of contentious or potentially contentious matters which regularly impact charities and not-for-profits, including oppression claims, contested Society elections, and helping organizations navigate member and director conflicts, among many other examples.