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    • Aug 2022 - Professional Advisor Newsletter >
      • BACK TO BASICS: REMINDING CLIENTS ABOUT WILLS, TRUSTS, AND CHARITABLE BEQUESTS
      • Summer legislative updates–and looking ahead to sunsets
      • FARMS, TAX PLANNING, AND FUNDING A FAMILY LEGACY
    • Sept 2022 - Professional Advisor Newsletter >
      • HIGHLY-APPRECIATED STOCK: IF YOUR CLIENT MISSED THE IDEAL WINDOW, IT’S STILL NOT TOO LATE TO SUPPORT CHARITY
      • THE “I’S” HAVE IT: TWO KEY TOPICS FOR CLIENT MEETINGS
      • INHERITED IRAS: BIG HEADACHE, OR BIG OPPORTUNITY?
      • Cryptocurrency: What if your clients own it and you don’t think they should?
    • October 2022 - Professional Advisor Newsletter >
      • CHARITABLE GIVING IN CHALLENGING ECONOMY
      • DISASTER PHILANTHROPY: YOUR CLIENTS AND THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL PHILANTHROPY
      • COUNSELING YOUR CLIENTS ABOUT NONPROFITS: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE BIG LEAPS
    • November 2022 - Professional Advisor Newsletter >
      • STRONG YEAR-END GIVING IN A BEAR MARKET: DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS COME IN HANDY
      • ADOPT A “DONOR BEWARE” ATTITUDE WHEN CLIENTS MAKE NON-MARKETABLE GIFTS
      • IT’S A BIG DEAL: ANSWERING CLIENTS' QUESTIONS ABOUT GIVINGTUESDAY
    • Dec 2022 Professional Advisor Newsletter >
      • HOW NFTS ARE CONNECTING MAKERS, INVESTORS & DONORS WITH CAUSES THEY LOVE
      • FIVE OF 2022’S MOST-ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTIONS
      • 2022: IMPORTANT CHARITABLE TAX PLANNING REMINDERS
    • Jan 2023 Professional Advisor Newsletter
    • September Donor Newsletter >
      • KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR CHARITABLE DONATIONS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
      • HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE GIVING MONEY TO A NEW NONPROFIT
      • HOW TO GROW YOUR CHARITABLE GIVING BY BUNDLING TAX SAVINGS
    • October Donor Newsletter >
      • BRIGHT SPOTS IN THE MIDST OF ECONOMIC CHALLENGES
      • ACTIVATE IMMEDIATE AND EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE IN NEED
    • November Donor Newsletter >
      • Give a little and feel a lot better
      • “Checkout charity”: Cause for concern?
      • The perfect plate: Turkey, pumpkin pie and charitable giving
    • December Donor Newsletter >
      • LEVEL UP FAMILY PHILANTHROPY AT ANY AGE WITH THESE BOOKS
      • THE GIFT OF GIVING, COMMUNITY FOUNDATION STYLE
      • FOUR YEAR-END REMINDERS
    • Jan 2023 Donor Newsletter
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Here’s what to know before giving money to a new nonprofit


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The number of nonprofits in the United States now tops 1.7 million, and hundreds more are started each year. As the nonprofit sector grows alongside the increased needs in our community, you may be asked by friends or colleagues to support a brand new nonprofit organization. You want to help, but you’re not sure about the rules.

First, remember that you can give money to anyone and anything you want, charitable or otherwise. If you want to be sure that your money is put to good use, check things out. If the charity has started a website, take a look at it and see if it makes sense. Even new charities should be able to clearly  
explain what they are doing and who exactly it is that they are serving. Also take a look at who’s involved. Perhaps the friend or colleague asking you for help is on the charity’s board or is even a founding staff member. If you know and trust the people involved, that is a good sign. 

Your questions may boil down to whether you are hoping to get a charitable deduction for your contribution to the new charity. The IRS has very specific rules about which types of donations are deductible and at what levels. If the new charity has filed an application (Form 1023) with the IRS to qualify as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and you make a donation to the charity while the application is pending, you still may be able to deduct that donation on your income tax return, provided the charity does in fact receives its exemption ruling from the IRS. You are taking a risk, though. If the charity’s application fails, you cannot deduct your donation.

Please reach out to the Peninsula Community Foundation with any and all questions about how best to support charities and causes in our community. It’s our job to provide insights not only related to the tax aspects of charitable giving, but also related to the effectiveness of charitable giving and the impact of the nonprofit organizations that serve our community.​

For more information about establishing a fund, please contact Michael Monteith, Email/757.327.0862 ​​​​
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  • Homepage - Peninsula Community Foundation
  • About
    • Board of Directors
    • Connect
    • Financials
    • News
    • Partners
  • Impact
    • Brink Impact Fund
    • Children's Holiday Fund
    • COVID 19
    • Give Local 757
    • Grants
    • Impact 100
    • Leadership Society
    • Legacy Society
    • PCF Initiatives >
      • Early Childhood
      • Homelessness
      • Neighborhoods
  • Scholarships
  • Funds
    • Agency
    • Corporate
    • Designated
    • Donor Advised
    • Employee Assistance
    • Legacy >
      • Types of Funds
    • Aug 2022 - Professional Advisor Newsletter >
      • BACK TO BASICS: REMINDING CLIENTS ABOUT WILLS, TRUSTS, AND CHARITABLE BEQUESTS
      • Summer legislative updates–and looking ahead to sunsets
      • FARMS, TAX PLANNING, AND FUNDING A FAMILY LEGACY
    • Sept 2022 - Professional Advisor Newsletter >
      • HIGHLY-APPRECIATED STOCK: IF YOUR CLIENT MISSED THE IDEAL WINDOW, IT’S STILL NOT TOO LATE TO SUPPORT CHARITY
      • THE “I’S” HAVE IT: TWO KEY TOPICS FOR CLIENT MEETINGS
      • INHERITED IRAS: BIG HEADACHE, OR BIG OPPORTUNITY?
      • Cryptocurrency: What if your clients own it and you don’t think they should?
    • October 2022 - Professional Advisor Newsletter >
      • CHARITABLE GIVING IN CHALLENGING ECONOMY
      • DISASTER PHILANTHROPY: YOUR CLIENTS AND THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL PHILANTHROPY
      • COUNSELING YOUR CLIENTS ABOUT NONPROFITS: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE BIG LEAPS
    • November 2022 - Professional Advisor Newsletter >
      • STRONG YEAR-END GIVING IN A BEAR MARKET: DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS COME IN HANDY
      • ADOPT A “DONOR BEWARE” ATTITUDE WHEN CLIENTS MAKE NON-MARKETABLE GIFTS
      • IT’S A BIG DEAL: ANSWERING CLIENTS' QUESTIONS ABOUT GIVINGTUESDAY
    • Dec 2022 Professional Advisor Newsletter >
      • HOW NFTS ARE CONNECTING MAKERS, INVESTORS & DONORS WITH CAUSES THEY LOVE
      • FIVE OF 2022’S MOST-ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTIONS
      • 2022: IMPORTANT CHARITABLE TAX PLANNING REMINDERS
    • Jan 2023 Professional Advisor Newsletter
    • September Donor Newsletter >
      • KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR CHARITABLE DONATIONS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER
      • HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE GIVING MONEY TO A NEW NONPROFIT
      • HOW TO GROW YOUR CHARITABLE GIVING BY BUNDLING TAX SAVINGS
    • October Donor Newsletter >
      • BRIGHT SPOTS IN THE MIDST OF ECONOMIC CHALLENGES
      • ACTIVATE IMMEDIATE AND EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE IN NEED
    • November Donor Newsletter >
      • Give a little and feel a lot better
      • “Checkout charity”: Cause for concern?
      • The perfect plate: Turkey, pumpkin pie and charitable giving
    • December Donor Newsletter >
      • LEVEL UP FAMILY PHILANTHROPY AT ANY AGE WITH THESE BOOKS
      • THE GIFT OF GIVING, COMMUNITY FOUNDATION STYLE
      • FOUR YEAR-END REMINDERS
    • Jan 2023 Donor Newsletter
  • DONATE
  • Fund Login