Donate Your Vehicle
Donating your vehicle is a terrific way to give a sizable gift to CalWild that you otherwise might not be able to give. This service is provided by Charitable Adult Rides & Services (CARS) free of charge.
Employer Gift Matches
Ask your employer if they offer matching donation programs for your charitable giving. Some larger businesses and corporations even offer 2:1 matching which can triple the impact of your CalWild gift!
Donor Advised Funds (DAFs)
Do you use DAFs for charitable purposes? Good news! You can now make a DAF donation to CalWild online by visiting DAF Direct’s website.
Planned/Legacy Giving
Committed to CalWild in a big way? Making a planned or bequest gift provides needed resources for future wilderness campaigns. It enables you to extend the joy you have experienced in public lands to others while receiving substantial financial benefits and tax savings.
The simplest way to make a planned gift is to name California Wilderness Coalition in your will – gifts large and small help our programs remain strong. You can make your own will for free over at FreeWill and name California Wilderness Coalition as a beneficiary. California residents can also create a free Revocable Living Trust there, which is highly advised for privacy reasons and because of the state’s lengthy probate process (learn more here). If you are already in the midst of creating your will, some sample wording can be as simple as:
“I bequeath ____% (or $___) of the rest and residue of my estate or trust, or description of property) to California Wilderness Coalition (Tax identification #51-0183228).”
Please note percentages are better for this language to account for inflation. A financial planner or estate planning attorney can explain more about your options, which may include naming CalWild as a beneficiary of your IRA or pension plan, your life insurance policy, or a charitable trust. If you have questions about planned giving, please contact us.
Partners and Group Members
Is your business looking for charitable opportunities? CalWild offers several levels of Group Memberships, each with its own set of promotional benefits. You can also sponsor events, give in-kind donations, and support our campaigns directly. Find out more here.
Gifts of Stock
Making a donation to CalWild in the form of appreciated stock or securities is more economical than giving cash and may make it possible for you to give more than you could otherwise afford. For example, you may own highly appreciated stock purchased years earlier that is paying a modest dividend relative to its market value. If you sell the stock and give the proceeds to CalWild, you will have to pay capital gains tax, perhaps reducing the amount of the gift and certainly increasing your tax liability. If however, you give the stock directly to CalWild, you can deduct the full fair market value of the stock given and avoid any capital gains tax.
IRA Charitable Rollovers
If you are age 70 ½ or older, you may now transfer money from your IRA to CalWild. Gifts made from your IRA are not reportable as taxable income. At age 72 or greater your gift distribution qualifies toward your required minimum distribution (RMD) for the calendar year, which may lower your income tax burden (Note: The RMD requirement has been wavied for 2020).
Important to remember:
- Your total non-taxable yearly distribution to one or more qualified 501(c)3 charities, including CalWild, is limited to $100,000 each calendar year.
- You will need to contact your IRA Plan Administrator and request they distribute the rollover amount directly to CalWild. Please use the attached form to request a transfer.
- The check issued from your IRA must be made payable to CalWild.
Please contact Dup Crosson, Development Director, if you would like to be acknowledged for the gift. Many plan administrators will not include information on who is making the gift unless specifically requested.
The transfer of your IRA distribution must be made directly by your plan administrator to CalWild by December 31 to qualify for that tax year.
Here are printable IRA Rollover Instructions for your Plan Administrator.
Cryptocurrency
You can now donate cryptocurrency to CalWild here through our partners at Crypto for Charity and Freewill. Donating crypto directly to charity saves you money on two types of taxes:
- Avoid paying any capital gains tax (and state income taxes) on your crypto gains.
- Second, receive a full federal income tax deduction for the value of your crypto.
Facebook and Instagram Fundraisers
More and more people are giving to their favorite charities via social media these days. It can be quick and convenient for those who are always connected, and Facebook has really led the trend with its Fundraisers feature. A lot of people choose to do one for their birthdays or anniversaries, but you can do them anytime for any purpose. The setup is minimal, and Facebook will guide you through the 3-step process so you can encourage your friends and family to give to CalWild! Learn more here.
Instagram also lets you add a donation sticker to posts and stories. Learn more here.
Volunteer!
Perhaps you’d like to help, but don’t exactly have much in the way of cash. We operate with a lean program staff throughout the state and therefore are always on the lookout for volunteer help with events, administration, fundraising, grants, and mapping. Let us know if you have any special skills like graphic design, interpreting aerial imagery, GIS, grant writing, or just have some community contacts with which you can help us connect.
Retail & Banking Partnerships
We partner with retailers who agree to give part of their proceeds to CalWild and other charities of your choice. Click below to learn more and don’t forget to choose CalWild on future orders.
- Atmos Financial donates to CalWild (fee-free!) when you open an account through this link, and offers many ways to support CalWild through their services, including interest on your account and their Round-Up feature. They invest 100% of customers’ FDIC-insured deposits into climate solutions.
- CouponBirds
- Sports Basement Basementeer Program