Role of Zichron Binyomin Charity Foundation in the funding ecosystem
Zichron Binyomin Charity Foundation (ZBCF) is a Canadian registered charity based in Toronto, created to raise money for Toronto Jewish charitable organizations and other Canadian registered charities. Rather than operating traditional grant calls, the foundation uses a voucher-based tzedaka system that allows donors to make contributions without cash or cheques while receiving full tax receipts.
Donors order books of vouchers in various denominations and pay a set cost by cheque, e‑transfer, PayPal or credit card. The “book value” of the vouchers represents the amount that will ultimately be distributed to charitable organizations. Vouchers are individually recorded and incorporate security features to prevent fraud, and donors receive official tax receipts for 100% of the amounts paid to the foundation.
Funding mechanism and eligible recipients
ZBCF’s vouchers can be distributed by donors to fundraising individuals, community institutions or collectives, provided that redemption is made through a Canadian registered charity or an organization that falls under the University Act. The Redeem process is reserved strictly for registered charities, which mail in the collected vouchers along with their legal name, address, phone number and charity registration number. Once validated, vouchers are redeemed for cash, effectively channeling donor funds to the beneficiary organizations.
The foundation’s approach consolidates a donor’s giving through one issuing organization while allowing flexibility in which charities ultimately receive support. Any unredeemed vouchers that reach their printed expiry date may be used by ZBCF for administrative or charitable purposes, ensuring that donated funds remain within the charitable sector.
Publics served and impact
The primary focus is on Toronto Jewish charitable organizations, but the structure allows redemption by any Canadian registered charity, broadening the potential impact across sectors such as education, social services, community support and religious life. Through its voucher system, ZBCF simplifies charitable giving for donors and provides a reliable funding channel for beneficiary organizations that redeem vouchers for cash.