Q & A
5 May 2019
Julianne Shenk
JBS Nonprofit Consulting
Happy “Almost Summer”! It is time for a new Q & A.
Some of these you may have seen me answer before, but if it is a
question that I get asked repeatedly, I figured it was worth answering again. I
will link my previous Q & A/FAQ blog post at the end. And, as always, if you have a question that
you haven’t found an answer for in my posts, please shoot me an email from
twitter, Facebook, the blog or my website. I will link all below as well.
It is
almost summer, do schools/teachers/students still need my help?
Yes. Many communities hold school supply drives in the summer
months as well as closer to the start of school. If you are having trouble
finding an organization, call your local schools, community centers, or
churches. Many collect supplies during the summer. If not, stockpile a little
donation stash for when collection time does roll around.
I hear
about people making donations to schools to cover the school lunch balances for
children that are in the red. Can I write a check for that?
Every school district has different rules regarding paying off the
balances of children “in the red” in their school lunch account. It is best to
contact the administration of the particular school district that you are
interested in helping. You may be able to start with a call to the school’s
office, but they may refer you to the actual district office.
Several
years ago my tax preparer denied my deduction for a Go Fund Me campaign that I made
a sizable donation to, I understood it to be a charitable donation and I am
still a little mad about it. Should I have insisted she leave the deduction on
my form?
While I am sure your donation was appreciated, your tax preparer
is correct. Go Fund Me campaign donations are not tax deductible. If you are
looking for a donation for tax deduction purposes, I suggest that you find an
IRS certified 501 (c) (3) organization that represents or aids clientele like
the family/individual you are looking to help. Blog post: https://jbsnonprofitconsulting.blogspot.com/2015/07/gofundme-tax-deductible.html
Is it true
that the new tax law has raised the ‘amount of donations before deduction’ to
over $20,000?
The 2018 standard deduction was nearly doubled, to $12,000
for single filers and $24,000 for those married and filing jointly.[1]
What is
the best method to learn about a charity that I am interested in? Can I call
them?
The first thing I do is a simple Google® search. You should be able
to find the organization’s website. Explore the ABOUT section, read any
testimonials, try the links, look for newsletters, calendars and press
releases. Spend some time exploring the entire site. Use the CONTACT button to
send an email or look for a phone number to call and schedule a visit.
Nonprofits, the successful ones, thrive on transparency; they want you to see
where the money is going and who it is helping. If you do not get the answers
you need or like the answers you get, keep researching similar organizations. It
is your money or volunteer time, and it is worth something. Research and find
the right fit for you.
I have
read a lot of your posts, but you talk a lot about volunteering being
important. Isn’t money what charities really want?
Charities need money as well as volunteers to thrive. Anyone (with
the means) can donate money to an organization. Anyone, means or not, can
volunteer their time. Most organizations need volunteers to help the clients
that the charity serves as well needing them to spread the message of the organization,
organize distributions, help fundraise…the list goes on and on. It takes a
special person to give of their time to help others, and I encourage everyone
to volunteer.
Is it rude to simply ask an organization if
they are an approved nonprofit organization?
No. It is not
rude at all. First look on their website. Most organizations state somewhere (usually
in the “About” section) that they are a 501 (c) (3) organization. If you cannot
find that information on the website call the organization directly. They will
be able to provide you with the information.
I was asked to consider taking a board
position with a local charity organization, but they said that I will be asked
to make a sizable donation every year as part of my position. Is this legal? Is
this ethical?
Actually, many
large and/or established nonprofit organizations require/encourage board
members to make a yearly/quarterly donation to the organization. Many include
it in the contract that they require board members to sign. Supporting the organization
as a board member as well as a stake holder is a strong commitment to the
cause. If you are not comfortable with the donation, discuss your concerns with
the board.
If you have any
questions not covered here, or in the link of my previous FAQs/Q&A (https://jbsnonprofitconsulting.blogspot.com/2016/04/faq.html)
send me a message via one of my links
below.
Blog: https://jbsnonprofitconsulting.blogspot.com/ (leave a message on this post May 2019)
Website: https://jbsnonprofitconsulting.blogspot.com/ Click BLOG
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/JBSNPC
