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Many generous donors make gifts to support the missions of their favorite charitable organizations, like ours. Most gifts are made with cash. Are you aware that you can also give assets to charity? Examples include appreciated stock and gifts from your individual retirement account (IRA). You may also own business interests or personal property, which some charities can accept.

Where do I start?

Making a gift begins with your charitable goals. Which causes are most important to you and what do you want to achieve? Once you make your selections and set your intentions, you can have a conversation with someone at the charity to discuss the impact you envision. We would be happy to help you with this process. The next step is to decide how to make your gift, with which assets, and when. Before defaulting to a cash gift, consider other assets you can give that may provide additional benefits.

Should I give assets to charity?

Savvy donors know that giving appreciated assets like stock provides two benefits: a charitable deduction for the fair-market value of the gift and not having to pay tax on the gain in the stock. If you own appreciated stock, ask your tax advisor about the benefits of making a gift of stock instead of cash. Alternatively, if you are 70½ or older, you can direct a gift from your IRA to support our mission and not pay income tax on the distribution. You can donate all or part of your “required minimum distribution” to charitable causes—up to $111,000 in 2026.

When should I make my gift?

The timing of your gift depends on your goals. You can give now and make a current impact, give through your estate and have a future impact, or make part of the gift now and part later for a bigger impact. You can give now from your IRA and reap the income-tax benefits and give later through a beneficiary designation. The timing is up to you and your tax advisor—choose the best timing for you.

We would be pleased to speak with you about ways to give—including giving assets—to best achieve both your personal and philanthropic goals.