FAQ

What is National Cupcake Day™?

National Cupcake Day is the first-ever, coordinated Canadian event to support local shelters, SPCAs, and Humane Societies. Even though this event is new in Canada, it has a long, successful history in other countries around the world, namely in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.  2013 was the first year of our event, raising over $400,000 for injured, abused and abandoned animals across the country.

For National Cupcake Day you invite friends, family and co-workers to join you for a National Cupcake Day Party by donation where you bake cupcakes for your friends and family. The donations you receive help raise critically-needed funds for animals that are abused, abandoned, neglected or no longer wanted. Through your Online Bakery, let the world know why animal welfare is close to your heart, send emails to friends and family about your National Cupcake Day Party, and manage your fundraising.

How can I support my local SPCA, Humane Society or shelter?

When you register for National Cupcake Day, you will have the opportunity to choose any one of our participating societies to receive all of your proceeds. If your local shelter is not listed, please have them contact us to see if we may be able to include them next year.

This is a first-ever Canadian event, and it is growing. Please help us raise money for animals across Canada even if your local shelter may not be listed. Your money will go directly into rescue efforts for animals in dire need.

Do I have to bake cupcakes to support National Cupcake Day?

The main way people choose to support this event is by hosting a National Cupcake Day Party and inviting guests to donate to join in the fun and dine on delicious cupcakes. But this is not the only way to support the event.  Think about all your friends and family who live out of town. Would they donate to receive a virtual cupcake for a cause that is important to you? Or you can simply raise money through donations, or donate yourself!

This event can be creative as you want it to be, so host cupcake competitions, come up with amazing new recipes, or whatever you can think of to help the animals!

What should the suggested donation amount be?

It’s a good idea to start by setting an ambitious fundraising goal, then divide that number by either a suggested donation amount ( to figure out how many cupcakes to bake) or by the number of cupcakes you want to bake (to figure out the suggested donation amount of each). During the registration process you will be asked to enter your fundraising goal and you can change it at any time in your Online Bakery.

What is a Cupcake Host Welcome Package?

Within 10 business days of your successful registration, you will be mailed your official Cupcake Host Welcome Package. Inside you’ll find your Recipe for Success Booklet, stickers, balloons, a poster and other stuff you’ll need. You can download some of these things online right now if you just can’t wait to get sifting and mixing things up…

What is an Online Bakery?

Your Online Bakery contains all the tools you need to get and stay connected with your potential National Cupcake Day Party Guests, track your progress, and build anticipation for your National Cupcake Day Party. Sweet!

The secret ingredient to your success as part of National Cupcake Day will be getting your hungry Cupcake Party Guests to donate to join in the party before the event. First of all, you’ll have a better idea of exactly how many cupcakes to bake, but you also won’t need to worry about collecting donations on National Cupcake Day! And the good news is that your Online Bakery is totally safe, secure and it’s the most convenient for everyone!

Can I fundraise on a team?

Yes, the more the merrier! When you register, choose the Cupcake Host Team option. When you do so, you will create both a National Cupcake Team Online Bakery, as well as an Individual Online Bakery. You can use the Team Online Bakery to track team fundraising and to ask other team members to join you.

What is the minimum age requirement? Can my kids fundraise?

Yes, we welcome Youth Cupcake Hosts to participate in National Cupcake Day with the approval and help of a parent or guardian. When your youth registers, they will need to electronically sign a waiver indicating they have your permission to participate in the event.

There are some great resources for hosting a National Cupcake Day Party at School here.

How do I return funds that I raise?

Now that the hard work is over, here are the three options you can choose from to return your National Cupcake Day funds. Please choose one of the methods outlined below.

Option 1. Online fundraising only.

Encourage all of your supporters to donate to your page - they are able to use credit card to make a secure transaction. These donations will be receipted via email once the payment has been processed. These donations will contribute to your online fundraising total.

This is the easiest and most environmentally friendly option! Please note that you donors will receive a tax receipt by email from the OSPCA, who are administering the campaign.  Funds will be then directed to your society of choice (if different than OSPCA). If you are supporting either the BC SPCA or the Ottawa Humane Society, you will recieve a tax receipt directly from your society of choice.

Option 2. Track orders & return cash or cheque through your Online Bakery.

Download a National Cupcake Day Party Donation Form. Collect cash and cheques (made out to you) at your National Cupcake Day Party and enter the information on donors who want a tax receipt on the form (we typically issue tax receipts for those who donate $10 or more).

Login to your Online Bakery, click on Manage Cash & Cheques. Enter your orders online and pay in those donations with your own personal credit card (you can enter their information so they get the tax receipt). If your Cupcake Party Guests do not require a tax receipt for their donation, just add up all your money and make one donation using your credit card for the lump sum.

Cupcake Party Guests who wish to receive a tax receipt: For a valid tax receipt to be issued, the donor’s complete address information must be provided. Tax receipts c/o participant’s address will not be valid or issued. Please DO NOT use your email address as a substitute if the donor’s email is not available. Tax receipts will be mailed to donors within 4-6 weeks of the event.

All donations must be received by midnight on March 14th, 2014 to be counted toward our fundraising competitions!

Please note that you donors will receive a tax receipt by email from the OSPCA, who are administering the campaign.  Funds will be then directed to your society of choice (if different than OSPCA).  If you are supporting either the BC SPCA or the Ottawa Humane Society, you will receive a tax receipt directly from your society of choice.

Option 3: Track donations and return cheques via the envelope supplied in your Cupcake Host Welcome Package.

Download a National Cupcake Day Party Donation Form. Collect cash and cheques at your National Cupcake Day Party and enter the information of donors who want a tax receipt on the form (we typically issue tax receipts for those who donate $10 or more). Login to your Online Bakery, click on Manage Cash & Cheques.

Enter your orders online, then mail in your National Cupcake Day Party Donation Form with collected cheques in the postage paid envelope supplied in your Cupcake Host Welcome Package. Please do not mail cash.

All donations must be received by midnight on March 14th, 2014 to be counted toward our fundraising competitions!  

All cheques you mail in must be made out to National Cupcake Day.

Please see the three digit code that corresponds to the participating society you are fundraising for and enter it in the upper-right hand corner of your offline National Cupcake Party Donation Form.  All codes can be found on our participating societies page.

Please note that you donors will receive a tax receipt by mail from the OSPCA, who are administering the campaign.  Funds will be then directed to your society of choice (if different than OSPCA).  If you are supporting either the BC SPCA or the Ottawa Humane Society, you will receive a tax receipt directly from your society of choice.