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Posted at 6:00 • 24 Apr • Kaci Bella Designs • Charitable Giving
Need a gift for the person who has everything? Making a charitable donation in their name is a great solution. Not only is it very easy, it can be very rewarding. It supports a greater good and you can even claim it as a tax deduction.
1. Make it personal
The best gifts connect to passion. What are their hobbies? What are their interests? Do they volunteer in the community? Do they focus on animal well-being? Do they spend a lot of time at nature preserves? Are they or a loved one battling a condition or a disease? Match the charity’s cause to their passion and you’ll have a great gift.
2. Do your research
Once you have identified what causes are most meaningful to your recipient, you will want to research the charities. The following websites offer free reports on charitable organizations:
You’ll want to ensure your charity of interest:
- Is a recognized charity with a strong report card
- Passes at least 60% of proceeds to the cause (per American Institute of Philanthropy guidance)
- Meets IRS requirements for being a tax-exempt organization
- Accepts online payment
Take great care when choosing a charity and beware of scammers looking to abuse your trusts and take advantage of your generosity.
3. Make the donation
After you’ve chosen your charity, you will need to actually make the donation. Most charities offer online payment options. Typically, it’s as easy as finding their website and looking for the Donate button, completing the form and submitting payment.
When completing the form, however, be sure to use your name for the information.
Providing the recipient’s name and your contact information will cause issues in the charities’ database, can lead to your gift recipient to being solicited for future donations and can cause issues with the credit card processing. If offered, the recipient’s name will go in the “in honor of” field. Otherwise, all information should be yours.
4. Take your tax deduction
Charitable donations are tax deductible by you – not the person to whom which you are making the donation. To realize this as a tax benefit, you will need to:
- Itemize your deductions to the claim the donation as a deduction; standard deductions do take donations into consideration
- Ensure that the charity is a tax-deductible donation eligible
- Save proof of the donation which includes the organization, donation date and donation amount such the receipt or canceled check (above $250 also require written acknowledgement from the organization)
5. Present the Gift
You’ve done the research. You’ve made the donation. How do you reveal the gift to the recipient? Many charities offer e-cards, tribute cards or souvenir gifts to go with donations. Delivering e-cards risk delivery to junk mail folders and you’re left empty handed when face-to-face with the recipient. Tribute cards tend to be generic or lack luster. And souvenir gifts increase charity overhead costs. You could write a personal note in a card. While it’s a better option, it often comes across as awkward or self-serving.
Aligned to our mission to provide personalized gift giving through editable instant downloads, Kaci Bella Designs offers a solution --- our Charity Donation Gift Cards. Our cards are a fun way of telling your loved one you made a donation in their name. Simply download, write in the donation information and add a personal message. Now you have a perfect gift for that special person.
- Slip the card into an envelope
- Add to a greeting card such as a birthday or Christmas card
- Attach to a gift basket or flower bouquet
Kaci Bella Designs offers a free version for all of our charity donation gift card designs.
Print. Cut out. Write in the fields. Present.
Alternatively, for a nominal fee, we offer digitally editable versions with a matching double-sided design. All options can be saved to your computer and used over and over again.