Donations

What types of donations does The United Church of Canada Archives accept?

The United Church of Canada Archives accepts gift-in-kind donations from individuals and organizations.

What material is considered for inclusion into The United Church of Canada Archives?

The United Church of Canada Archives considers material for inclusion into its collection based on criteria outlined in its Acquisition Mandate.

How do I donate material to The United Church of Canada Archives?

To donate material please contact the Archives to discuss the material in question.

Can I limit access to the private papers I donate?

Yes. Any restrictions to records will be outlined in the Deed of Gift

Can I borrow the records after I donate the private papers?

No. Once the Deed of Gift is signed the records become the property of The United Church of Canada Archives.

Can I receive a tax receipt for my donation?

Monetary gifts in excess of $25 are eligible for a tax receipt. For gifts-in-kind, please contact us in advance regarding eligibility.

Will material weeded by staff of The United Church of Canada Archives be returned to me?

The fate of weeded material is outlined in the Deed of Gift.

Should I organize the papers before making the donations?

No. The Archivist will look at the records and organize them according to archival principles.

Can I donate more material after the original donation?

Yes. We accept donations after the initial receipt of material.

Does The United Church of Canada Archives accept publications or copies of materials?

The United Church of Canada Archives does not accept copies of materials. The Archives may accept published material. Consultation with the Archivist will determine whether the publications will be included in our collection.

What happens to the records once they are donated?

The records will be put into a queue to be processed by the Archivist. A finding aid will be created and uploaded into the Archives catalogue. Records will then be available for consultation and researcher use.

Donors will be asked to supply the following information when donating material to the repository:

  • Identify the subject area of that their records might relate to from a pre-populated list
  • Identify the potential research audiences for the records
  • Describe the records. Prepare a file list and include the type of records (e.g. reports, minutes, sermons, correspondence etc.)
  • Provide an estimate of the size of the donation
  • Provide the earliest and latest date of the records
  • Indicate the type of records being donated (e.g. textual records, photographs, audio recordings etc.)
  • Indicate any prior owners of the material
  • Provide information about where the records were stored
  • Indicate the geographic region of the records
  • Provide information about who created the records
  • Provide information about how the records were created/accumulated