Giving

Giving

Individual giving is a form of worship; it should be done joyously, freely, generously and without internal or external compulsion. We do not want to hinder spiritual growth by resorting to man-made fundraising techniques that place people under pressure to give or create false guilt.

Rather, we desire to provide everyone with the opportunity to give voluntarily. Consequently we ake no offerings during our services; instead, we provide offering boxes at various locations so that all who desire to worship God through giving can do so freely and privately.

There are many other ways to give to Grace Church. Each section below details ways to help support the ministries of Grace Church.

Gifts of Stock

A gift of stock can be one of the best ways to give to Grace Church. Gifts of appreciated stock are particularly wise from a tax perspective, since there are no capital gains paid, and the giver receives a tax deduction of the full face amount.

For example, if you bought stock for $1,000 and now it is worth $5,000, you receive a tax deduction for the entire $5,000 without having a $4,000 capital gain. You would benefit in 2 ways, and Grace would benefit from the $5,000 contribution.

Gifts of stock can also be one of the easiest ways to give. With your permission, we can work directly with your broker or financial planner, and the process is very simple. In order for you to be receipted properly, please let us know what type of stock you are gifting and the number of shares.

Gifts in Kind

Grace Church has received numerous creative gifts such as surplus items, sale of petroleum, houses, land, apartments, vehicles, etc. When you give appreciated property, you are entitled to an income tax deduction for the full value of the asset, not just the amount you paid for it, and often you can deduct the market value of your item. If you would like to talk about any ideas you have about a gift in kind, please contact our Church Administrator.

Matching Funds

Many companies offer matching gifts to charitable organizations. If you are looking for creative ways to give to Grace Church, check with your company to see if it offers this program. If this is an option for you, please fill out your company’s application and send it to our offices, c/o the Church Administrator. Our accounting department will fill in our portion of the application and return it to your company.

Memorial or Honorarium Gifts

If you would like to give a gift in memory of or in honor of someone, please call our office. You will need to provide the following information:

A letter will be sent to the person or family designated to notify them of the gift. You will receive a receipt acknowledging your generous gift.

Remembering Grace Church in Your Will

Remembering Grace in your will is a convenient way to leave a lasting legacy. After you have provided for your loved ones, you can set aside a percentage of your estate to be given to Grace Church. This can be done at the time you have your will made or it can be added by a codicil (amendment to your existing will).

If you would like additional information about other creative ways to give using living trusts, gift annuities, life insurance, and retirement plans, please contact our Church Administrator.

Non Cash Gifts

Gifts, other than cash, donated to Grace Church are handled differently than if cash was sent. The Internal Revenue Service regulates how this type of gift is to be processed.

To donate a non-cash gift, simply contact our Church Administrator.That’s it! You will be asked to describe in more detail the quantity and quality of the gift.

Rules to follow: The receipting of non-cash gifts is regulated by the IRS. The organization you are donating to does not issue receipts but a letter describing the gift received. It is up to you to set its value which will be claimed on your tax return. If your non-cash gifts for the year total more than $500, you will need to include IRS Form 8283 with your tax return. Section A is used to report gifts valued at $5,000 or less. When the total value of non-cash gifts is more than $5,000, the property must be appraised and the appraiser’s finding reported in Section B of form 8283. The rules also apply if you gave “similar items of property” worth over $5,000 altogether to several non-profit institutions. For example, if you have six paintings (or rare books, antiques, etc.) worth $1,000 each and give one each to six different non-profit organizations, the appraisal rules would apply.

We recommend you see IRS Publication 561 to understand the rules involving non-cash gifts. Contact our Church Administrator to discuss your gift, the processes involved in donating the gift, and the amount allowed by the IRS.