SGI Donations Policy

General Policies
Focus of Support
Criteria for Support
Charitable Donations
Goodwill Advertising
Donations In-Kind
Promotional Items
Requests for Support

As the best customer-driven and affordable automobile insurance plan in Canada, SGI recognizes that it also has a responsibility as a corporate citizen to give back into the communities it does business with. SGI will be responsible to the people of Saskatchewan in supporting the following initiatives:

traffic safety-related initiatives in Saskatchewan;
youth excellence; and
diversity programs.

General Policies

The criteria covered in this section apply to all parts of the corporate donations program.

Focus of Support

Traffic Safety

SGI will work to promote safety messaging at the grass roots level to foster safe behaviour through education. SGI will seek innovative targeted sponsorship and partnership opportunities to promote safety messaging to Saskatchewan residents and to assist in traffic safety educational opportunities.

Youth

SGI will invest in opportunities to fuel positive, long-term cultural change that encourages young people to give back to their communities and help create an attitude where it is a common and positive experience of many young people. With a goal to impact the largest number of youth across the province, support will be directed but not limited to K-12 student councils, community organizations and various not-for-profit groups whose goal is to advance the positive contributions of youth in our community.

Diversity and Aboriginal Initiatives

SGI will support initiatives that promote cultural diversity to the community at large, including initiatives focusing on women in leadership and non-traditional roles and opportunities that support the physically challenged with an emphasis on rehabilitation programs.

SGI's community investment program will support Aboriginal communities and organizations. Understanding that issues facing these communities are very complex and require multi-faceted solutions, SGI will focus on the very basic needs like child hunger, literacy, keeping kids in school and life skills training for teens.

Criteria for Support

The corporate donations program will support only those organizations which:
- can demonstrate their effectiveness at meeting their stated goals; and
- are well-administered and financially stable.
Preference will be given to organizations and events likely to provide lasting or long-term benefit to the citizens of the province.
Support will only be provided to non-profit organizations. Events receiving support must also be non-profit, or have proceeds designated to a worthy or non-profit organization.
The corporate donations program will not provide core funding for organizations through the corporate donations program. It will, however, consider support for specific programs related to the focuses of this policy.
SGI will provide one contribution per organization per year.
Corporate Relations may choose to assemble a package of support, such as a charitable donation and specific promotional items for some organizations or events.
Support is restricted to organizations and events based in Saskatchewan.
SGI will not sponsor national fundraising campaigns through the corporate donations program. Although provincial chapters of national organizations may be supported, the money must be used for initiatives within the province.
SGI will not sponsor capital projects through the corporate donations program unless they benefit a significant portion of the province. For other capital projects, consideration may be given to special events held to raise money for the project.
SGI will not sponsor individuals through the corporate donations program.
SGI will not sponsor political organizations or initiatives through the corporate donations program.
SGI will not sponsor religious organizations through the corporate donations program, but may choose to sponsor specific initiatives directly related to the main focuses of this policy.
Some requests which meet all the criteria outlined in this policy may be turned down due to limited budget or lack of resources.

Charitable Donations

Whenever possible, the charitable donations budget is used to support organizations and events on provincial or regional scale.
Sporting teams and/or events are supported at the provincial or regional level only. Local teams or qualifying events for provincial competitions may be referred for a gift of promotional items.
Service clubs and health groups are supported at the provincial or regional level only. Local chapters or clubs may be referred for a gift of promotional items. Exceptions exist in areas where organizations and events target helping underprivileged people. In such circumstances, support may be targeted at specific areas, such as inner cities or reserves.
The amount of money any one organization or event receives is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Factors for consideration include:
- how closely tied is this organization or event to the donation program's focuses;
- how many people will this organization or event reach, either directly or indirectly;
- how much of the province will this organization or event reach;
Charitable donations dollars are spread fairly throughout the province.
Support provided must be used directly by the organization or event requesting it, and not channeled through another agency.

Goodwill Advertising

SGI has a very limited budget for goodwill advertising. It will be considered if it provides an avenue for SGI to support worthwhile organizations and events through purchase of advertising space in programs, yearbooks, handbooks, calendars, etc. Goodwill advertising is also used to help promote traffic safety to particular audiences, such as the risks of drinking and driving for Saskatchewan youth.

Requests for goodwill advertising must be received at least 20 working days prior to the date the finished ad is required.
Goodwill advertising dollars are spread fairly throughout the province.
Goodwill advertising dollars will not be used for features unrelated to key business priorities, such as Christmas greetings.
Goodwill advertising dollars will not be used for advertising features which duplicate any other province-wide advertising campaign the corporation is involved in, such as drinking and driving advertising features undertaken during the Christmas season.
Goodwill advertising dollars will not be used for newspaper ad campaigns for congratulatory or other messages in support of charitable organizations. Rather, support may be provided directly to the charitable organization involved.

Donations In-Kind

Donations in-kind are absorbed by the various areas supplying the services. For example, Claims Centres are available for use by charitable organizations - where the activities of the organization will not conflict with regular business at the Claims Centre (to book Claims Centres, call 751-1319). Corporate Relations may make the services of its graphic designers available to a charitable organization wanting to develop printed materials. Claims Technical Services may offer the services of its technicians to perform autobody or automotive painting work for a charitable organization.

Promotional Items

When a charitable donation, a goodwill ad or a donation in-kind is not appropriate for a particular organization or event requesting support, a gift of promotional items may be.
Requests for promotional items must meet the general criteria for support.

Requests for promotional items must be made in writing, and must be received by Corporate Relations at least 10 working days prior to the event for which they are required. The request will be dealt with within five working days of its receipt, with the exception of requests for seasonal events, which will be filled at least 30 days prior to the date of the event.

Written requests for promotional items may be directed to:

SGI Corporate Relations
16th floor - 2260 - 11th Avenue
Regina, SK S4P 0J9
Fax: (306) 757-7477

Requests for Support

All requests for any type of support must be made in writing to SGI Corporate Relations, providing the following details:

name of the organization or event, phone number, address and contact person;
purpose of the organization or event, including some background information on it;
activity for which support is required;
amount or type of support sought;
how support will be used;
any other sources of funding; and
recognition or benefit SGI will derive as a result of the support.

Requests must be received by Corporate Relations at least 20 working days before the event’s date.

Written requests for support may be directed to:

SGI Corporate Relations
16th floor - 2260 - 11th Avenue
Regina, SK S4P 0J9
Fax: (306) 757-7477

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