Charitable Activities
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Attorney General's Tips for Charitable Giving
Charities play an invaluable role in American society. These institutions are the vehicles which support and carry out much of the educational, religious, artistic, health and welfare activities in our country. Nationally, nonprofit organizations deliver over $1 trillion in services each year. Much of the support for charities comes from individual citizens.
Currently, there are almost 16,000 charities registered with the Oregon Department of Justice, and many of them are actively looking for donations. By law, the Attorney General cannot dictate how your money will be used by the charity; that is why Attorney General Kroger encourages Oregonians to heed some basic advice to ensure their gifts go to a worthy cause. Please refer to the Business Giving Guide for tips of particular interest to corporate and small business giving.
- Don't give to unregistered charities.
- Do your research.
- Resist impulse decisions to donate.
- Do not donate cash.
- If you don't remember a pledge, you probably didn't make one.
- Be leery of sweepstakes for charity.
- Contact the charity directly.
- Don't give personal or financial information over the phone.
- Reduce the number of unwanted solicitations by registering your number on the Do-Not-Call List.
- Make sure your gift is tax-deductible.
If you have concerns about a solicitation, please:
- Check our database to see if the organization has properly registered and learn how much money collected through donations goes to the cause;
- File your complaint on-line; or
- Call the Charitable Activities Section at (971) 673-1880
Don't give to unregistered charities. Before donating, make sure the organization is registered with the Attorney General's Office by searching the online database or by calling (971) 673-1880. You can also visit www.guidestar.org, a national clearinghouse of information on charities and how they spend your money. Make the most of your dollar by giving to groups that will use your donation as you see fit.
Do your research. There are more than 1.2 million charities registered with the IRS. Undoubtedly, there is a legitimate charity working on the issues that you care about. Take the time to ask yourself: "What is important to me?" Focus on your own priorities when deciding where your contribution should go. In addition to www.guidestar.org, there are other groups that rate and provide information about charities and their performance, such as the Better Business Bureau (www.give.org), Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org), and the American Institute of Philanthropy (www.charitywatch.org).
Resist impulse decisions to donate. Don't let yourself be pressured into giving. Telephone solicitations can be earnest requests for contributions, but beware of unscrupulous callers who want your money fast. When solicited by phone, always ask the caller to send you written materials about the charity; no legitimate organization will insist that you donate immediately. And watch out for solicitors who pepper you with dramatic, emotional, or heart-tugging stories.
Do not donate cash. Legitimate charities will be pleased to receive a contribution by check. Don't send contributions with a "runner," by wire or with an overnight parcel pick-up service.
If you don't remember a pledge, you probably didn't make one. Watch out for solicitors who begin by thanking you for your previous support if the organization is unfamiliar to you. Some questionable organizations will also send an invoice claiming you made a recent pledge when you didn't. These methods are intended to confuse and intimidate you into giving money.
Be leery of sweepstakes for charity. Legitimate charities may conduct raffles as fundraising events. In contrast, questionable charities may try to entice you to contribute by implying that you are a guaranteed winner in a sweepstakes. In some cases, the "guaranteed" prize may be as little as 10 cents. In other cases, the solicitor represents that you are the grand prize winner if only you will make a substantial contribution. The values of such prizes are exaggerated and the required "contribution" means that the "sweepstakes" is likely to be an illegal lottery. Reputable charities do not need to employ such devices to gain contributions. Remember, the reason to give to a charity is to further the organization's program activities, not to seek personal gain.
Contact the charity directly. Call the organization directly to learn if it exists and make sure the charity is aware of any fundraising efforts on its behalf. Bogus charities often use names or logos that resemble those of well-established, reputable organizations.
Don't give personal or financial information over the phone. If you do not have a preexisting relationship with a charity, be wary of unsolicited requests for payment over-the-phone. Legitimate charities are pleased to receive a contribution by check. Always make the check payable to the organization and never the individual collecting the donation.
Reduce the number of unwanted solicitations by registering your number on the Do-Not-Call List. Under Oregon law, if your number is on the No-call list, charities may not solicit donations over the phone unless you are a past donor or expressed a previous interest in giving. Oregon residents may register by calling 1-888-382-1222 toll-free, or online at www.donotcall.gov. If you are on the list and receive a call from an unfamiliar charity, you should file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office at www.doj.state.or.us.
Make sure your gift is tax-deductible. Because the government recognizes the value of charitable organizations, most contributions to recognized charities are tax-deductible. However, to be deductible, your donation must be given to a qualified charitable organization. To be certain, visit the IRS website (http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/). You must also keep adequate records, so make sure the charity provides written acknowledgment of your donation.
