CASH
A gift of cash is the most common and easiest way to make a gift to the Foundation. Cash gifts are usable immediately by the charitable recipient for the purpose(s) you specify, and the impact of cash is always direct and significant. Meaningful gifts of any size can be made using cash.

The typical donor:

- Has liquid asset that allow him or her to make a cash gift.
- Desires to benefit the charitable cause.
- Wants to see the effect of the gift in his or her lifetime.
- Wants to make a gift with a minimal amount of complexity.
- Is aware of the benefits of contributing highly appreciated property.

Gifts features and benefits:

- Immediate income tax deduction for outright gifts of cash.
- Gift is usable now by the charity.

How Do I Make a Gift of Cash?
Cash gifts can be made in several ways, including cash itself, credit cards, checks, money orders, or wire transfers. You can make a cash gift by mail, through this site, or in person at the Foundation offices.

Gifts of Cash
If you itemize deductions on your tax returns, the first tangible benefit of making a gift of cash to the Foundation today is an income tax charitable deduction for the full fair market value of the gift in most cases. The resulting reduction in income taxes payable lowers the net cost of the gift. If you are subject to state and/or local income taxes as well as federal, the combined marginal rate (after the federal deduction for those income taxes paid) should be taken into consideration in determining the gift's net cost.

If you don't usually itemize deductions, you may want to consider it for any tax year in which you make a sizable charitable donation. One technique used by people who have few itemized deductions is to alternate between years in which they take the standard deduction and make few charitable gifts, and the years in which they give double their desired annual philanthropic support and shift to itemizing.

Beware of the annual limitation on the use of charitable deductions claimed for gifts to public charitable organizations, which for any specific year is 50 percent of your adjusted gross income (AGI) for cash gifts. Any unused deductible amounts can be carried over and used for as many as five additional years, if necessary.

If you predict that your estate will be subject to estate tax at your death, keep in mind that you receive a federal gift tax charitable deduction for the value of gifts of cash made during your lifetime. Since the value also is removed from your future estate, it completely avoids the unified federal estate and gift tax. This savings reduces the net cost of your charitable gifts.

Outright Gifts and Their Results

- Cash gift. A cash gift by check is one of the most common methods for making an outright charitable contribution. For cash gifts of $250 and more, donors must have written confirmation from the charitable donee, as canceled checks are no longer sufficient proof of a deductible gift.