On-Line Contribution Form

Other ways to contribute

Appeal letter from Africa Action

Other Ways to Contribute to Africa Action

Africa Action is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization under the U.S. tax code. Contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

	Give through the Combined Federal Campaign
	Give through United Way
	Give through Charitable Choices
	Naming Africa Action in Your Will
	Donate Stock
	Retirement Plans and Life Insurance
	Shop Online and Contribute a Percentage of Your Purchase

1. Give through the Combined Federal Campaign: CFC #11384

10 Accountability Standards

To be eligible for the Combined Federal Campaign (and thus to be included in this information service), Africa Action met at least 10 accountability standards.

These criteria include:

1. Low fund-raising and administrative costs. To be eligible, charities must spend less than 25 percent of their income on overhead. If they spend more than 25 percent, they must explain why a higher percentage is reasonable and submit a plan for reducing these expenses to less than 25 percent. We have included the exact amount each charity spends on overhead in our information service.
   
2. An annual audit. All national organizations must be audited every year "by an independent certified public accountant in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards." Local organizations must also be audited annually unless their income is less than $100,000.
   
3. An annual report to the IRS. These reports, known as "990s," include extensive information about an organization's income and expenses.
   
4. Documentation of the human health and welfare services, benefits or assistance that the organization provides.
   
5. Recognition of 501(c)(3) status by the IRS. These "c-3s" are the only organizations that can receive tax deductible contributions. As such, they cannot spend any of their money on partisan political activity. They can spend only a relatively small amount on lobbying and other forms of advocacy.
   
6. An "active and responsible governing body." An organization must have a board of directors, none of whom have a conflict of interest and most of whom serve without compensation. Nearly all board members of charities are volunteers, receiving no pay.
   
7. Honest promotion. An organization's publicity and promotional activities must be "based upon its actual program and operations." They must also be "truthful and non-deceptive and make no exaggerated or misleading claims."
   
8. Non-deceptive use of donations. Organizations must use gifts "for the announced purposes of the charitable organization."
   
9. Public support. At least 20 percent of an organization income's must come from the public.
   
10. An annual report available to the public. Organizations must prepare annual reports that describe their activities and identify their board members and top staff. The report must be made available on request.

Additional geographic-based requirements:

To qualify as a local organization in one of the Combined Federal Campaign's more than 400 local campaigns, an organization must demonstrate that "it has a substantial local presence in the geographical area...." An "800" number and a post box is not enough! To qualify as a statewide organization, an organization must have a presence in at least 30 percent of a state's geographic area's or benefit 30 percent of the state's population.

To qualify as a national organization, an organization must provide services or benefits in at least 15 states during the past three years.

2. Give through United Way:

If you work for a company with a United Way campaign, you may be able to support Africa Action through United Way. The advantage of doing so is that you can often have your gift deducted from your paycheck. Giving $5 a week becomes a $260 gift!

Each United Way sets its own policies about allowing people to give to non-United Way members. It also decides the percentage it will charge to process your gift.

3. Give through Charitable Choices:

http://www.charitablechoices.org/

4. Naming Africa Action in Your Will

Thank you for considering including Africa Action in your estate plans.  It is a wonderful way to help ensure the organization’s future, and it is easy to carry out.  A charitable bequest for Africa Action can be included in your will when it is written or revised.  You may also add a bequest through a codicil, a separate document consisting of an amendment to an existing will.  All charitable bequests are fully deductible from your gross estate.

The following examples are meant to illustrate a variety of bequest techniques. You should consult an attorney to adapt this language to your individual circumstances as part of an overall estate plan.

• A specific bequest is a gift of a particular dollar amount or a particular piece of property.

For example: I bequeath (dollar amount or description of property) to Africa Action.

• A residuary bequest is a gift of all or part of the property remaining in your estate after debts, expenses, and specific bequests have been paid. When you use a percentage instead of a specific amount, your gift will stay relatively the same in proportion to your entire estate, regardless of unexpected increases or decreases in its value.

For example: I give, bequeath, and devise (all, or XX percent of) the rest, residue, and remainder of the property, both real and personal, wherever situated, which I may own or be entitled to at my death, to Africa Action.

• A contingent bequest is a gift that takes effect only if the primary beneficiary or beneficiaries of the bequest predecease you.

For example: If neither my husband nor any descendants of mine survive me, then I give, bequeath, and devise all the rest, residue, and remainder of the property, both real and personal, wherever situated, which I may own or be entitled to at my death, to Africa Action.

4. Donate Stock

Donate Stock  - A charitable gift of stock provides an opportunity for tax savings while generously supporting Human Rights First. Electronic delivery of stock shares is the most secure and expedient delivery process available and provides efficient internal control as well as cost savings. To help you facilitate a gift of stock, please use the following instructions. Or go straight to our stock donation form which you can submit by mail or fax.

Notification of Donor Intent - The donor or the transferring broker must provide the following information, for audit and acknowledgement purposes:

• Donor's name and complete address

• Name and number of securities transferred

• Broker's name and phone number

• Approximate dollar value of gift

You may use the stock donation form here, provide a letter, or send an e-mail to communicate this information at time of transfer to:

Africa Action
Attn: Gerald LeMelle
1634 Eye Street, NW, Suite 810
Washington, DC 20006

Email: donate[at]africaaction[dot]org

Phone: (202) 546-7961
Fax: (202) 546-1545

5. Retirement Plans and Life Insurance

Retirement Plans - One of the most cost-effective ways of including Africa Action in your estate plans is to leave either the remainder or a portion of the remainder of your retirement plan to Africa Action. If the unused portion of your pension fund, 401k, or IRA is assigned to any individual(s) other than a spouse, it is subject to an estate tax at your death, as well as an income tax when received by the heirs (if your estate is $650,000 or more). The two combined could erode up to 80 percent of the remaining benefits. If bequeathed to Africa Action, those funds would escape both income and estate taxes, thereby reducing your taxable estate.

Life Insurance - If you own a life insurance policy that is no longer needed for the protection of your family or for other purposes, you may use it to make a gift to Africa Action. The simplest way is to make Africa Action both owner and irrevocable beneficiary of the policy, which would entitle you to an income tax deduction based on either the total value of the premiums paid, or the cash surrender value, whichever is less. An alternative is to name Africa Action beneficiary of a policy you receive through your place of employment.

6. Shop Online and Contribute a Percentage of Your Purchase

Africa Action is registered with the following websites to receive a percentage of sales when people who shop through their site designate Africa Action as their charity of choice.  Next time you are doing some online shopping, just sign up at one of these sites and select Africa Action as your cause. Together, these programs let you access the full catalogues of hundreds of the most popular online vendors.
 
www.iBakesale.com
www.iGive.com
www.GoodBuy.com
www.buyforcharity.com
www.benevolink.com

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