New charitable status will allow Experimental Lakes Area to realize full fundraising potential

WINNIPEG—17 December 2014—The International Institute for Sustainable Development-Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) is pleased to announce that it has now been granted full charitable status from the Canada Revenue Agency. This is a crucial step in allowing the world-class freshwater research facility to reach its full fundraising potential and to realize its research, educational and operational goals.

“IISD-ELA is enjoying a new era, with new management, research priorities, educational programs and communications outreach,” said Matthew McCandless, executive director of IISD-ELA. “We are thrilled with our new charitable status, which allows us to ramp up our fundraising efforts to maximize our potential even further. We would also like to thank a generous donor who is underwriting all fundraising administration costs for IISD-ELA.”

The facility recently received a generous donation of $1 million CAD to create the IISD-ELA Sustainable Future Fund to provide immediate and ongoing support for post-secondary education opportunities for students at IISD-ELA.

Hundreds of donors from Canada and around the world have previously pledged their support for IISD-ELA through private donations to the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), as well as through a successful Indiegogo campaign that raised over $28,000 CAD for its educational programs and drew support from high-profile advocates such as Margaret Atwood.

IISD-ELA would like to express its gratitude to all its private donors as well as for the ongoing funding from the Governments of Ontario, Manitoba and Canada.

To donate to IISD-ELA click this link: http://www.iisd.org/ela/donate/

The Experimental Lakes Area, open since 1968 and comprised of 58 freshwater lakes, is a world-class, unique Canadian scientific research facility; the only site in the world where whole-lake experimentation (essential for optimal, accurate freshwater research findings) is carried out. On 2 April 2014, IISD, the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada signed three agreements to ensure the long-term existence of the ELA, with IISD as the operator.

For more information please contact Sumeep Bath, IISD media and communications officer, at sbath@iisd.org or +1 (204) 958 7740.

IISD contributes to sustainable development by advancing policy recommendations on international trade and investment, economic policy, climate change and energy, natural and social capital, and the enabling role of communication technologies in these areas.

NT3