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2001 Volunteer Leader Training Guide
Before You Make a Charitable Contribution
 Printer Friendly Version (PDF)
When your phone rings and you’re asked to make a donation, ask
these questions:
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Are you directly associated with Name of charity
or are you calling on behalf of a paid fund raiser?
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How much of my contribution will be used for
charitable purposes and how much goes to the fund raiser?
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What is the charity’s address and phone number?
Will you send me written materials so I’ll know more about how
the donation will be used?
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Is your fund-raising organization registered
with the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office? Do you mind if I
call and verify your registration? (Keep in mind that
registration in and of itself does not imply that the state
endorses the charity. This only means that the AG’s office has
information about the purpose of the charity, the amount of
money the charity has raised in the past, the percentage of
money collected that is used for charitable program services,
the percentage that is used for administrative costs, and
whether or not the charity employs the services of a
professional fund raiser.)
If you decide to give:
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Make your donation by check made payable to the
charity and never to an individual or fund raiser.
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Be cautious of statements such as "all proceeds
will go to the charity." This may mean that any money left over
after expenses, such as the cost of written materials and
fund-raising efforts, will go to the charity. These expenses can
make a big difference in the bottom line.
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Never give your bank account number or credit
card number over the phone.
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Never allow yourself to be pressured into
giving.
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Be cautious of "sound-alike" names used to
confuse the donor. Some fraudulent charities use names that
closely resemble legitimate organizations. For example, the
Association of Retired Adults is not AARP.
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When you are asked to buy candy, magazines, show
tickets, etc., to benefit a charity, ask how much money will go
to the charity. You cannot claim the full amount of the donation
as a tax deduction, as the IRS considers only the part above the
value of the item to be a charitable contribution. For example
if you pay $25.00 for a magazine subscription that is valued at
$15.00, only $10.00 can be claimed as a charitable donation.
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If you make regular and/or substantial
contributions to a particular charity, request a copy of their
most recent annual report. This information will show you how
much of your dollar is spent on the charity’s programs and how
much is spent on other things such as fund-raising and
administrative costs.
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Use these resources to check out the charities
to which you give.
Philanthropic Advisory Service
Council of Better Business Bureaus
4200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203-1838
(703) 276-0100
National Charities Information Bureau
19 Union Square West, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10003-3395
(212) 929-6300
Philanthropic Research, Inc.
427 Scotland Street
Williamsburg, VA 23184
(757) 229-4631
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