FAQ for Charities
When is the registration deadline?
Charities must register on the Fayette Gives website each year. The registration deadline for Fayette Gives 2023 was August 31, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Each approved charity was emailed a confirmation and is listed under “Charity Search”.
Why must our organization have both 501(c)(3) AND 509(a) status?
People who make donations through Fayette Gives will be able to claim a tax deduction for their gift; therefore, we must ensure that the organizations that are the end recipients of these gifts are qualified tax-exempt organizations.
The most clear-cut determination of an organization’s official charitable status is the IRS 501(c)(3) designation, which determines whether the organization is exempt from federal income tax, and its 509(a) status, which determines whether a donation to the organization is tax-deductible.
To determine whether your organization has 501(c)(3) and 509(a) status, refer to your IRS determination letter or use the IRS website to look up your status. In this database, your charity must be listed with a “Deductibility Status” of “PC” (public charity) to meet eligibility.
Why am I not listed as a participating charity?
Your charity must register for Fayette Gives each year by the deadline and meet all eligibility requirements.
Participating charities must have a physical presence in Fayette County. Charities must be exempt from federal income tax as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, must not be a “private foundation” as defined in section 509(a) of the Code, and must file the Federal Form 990 annually.
The Community Foundation of Fayette County has the discretion to deny grants and participation in foundation programs to organizations or programs that conflict with the foundation’s values, mission, or the spirit of foundation programs. Determination of such conflicts is subject to the foundation’s interpretation.
If your charity is approved for registration, you will receive confirmation and be listed on the website. If you need assistance, email Rebecca Wardle or call 724-437-8600 × 203.
Who can donate?
All donations must be from individuals or businesses. Charities are not eligible to make donations to themselves. Supporting organizations that directly support or fundraise for a participating charity are not eligible to make donations to that charity. No collected/pooled donations will be accepted.
My charity’s profile information is incorrect, who can I contact?
Please email Rebecca Wardle or call 724-437-8600 × 203.
What is CFFC’s fee for administering Fayette Gives?
Zero. The CFFC does not charge any fees to donors or participating charities.
When can donors start to make Fayette Gives contributions?
Online donations are available during the 12-hour period on the day of Fayette Gives. Check donations, however, are available prior to Fayette Gives day. The required Check Contribution Form will become available on this website and will be shared with participating charities once registration is closed and check donations are open. All donations must be received at the CFFC office by 8 p.m. on Fayette Gives day to be eligible for bonus pool dollars.
How does the bonus pool work?
All Fayette Gives donations received at the CFFC office by 8 p.m. on Fayette Gives day, and at the $25 minimum, will be enhanced by a prorated percentage of the bonus pool.
Charities will receive bonus pool dollars based on the total amount of money they raise and the number of donors who support them during Fayette Gives.
We ask that charities please be mindful in their communcation about the bonus pool as this is not a dollar-to-dollar “match”. Please refer to wording on this website or contact CFFC with any questions about the bonus pool.
What forms of payment will be accepted?
We accept credit cards and checks.
Only Visa, Mastercard, and Discover credit cards will be accepted for online donations at www.fayettegives.org during Fayette Gives. Credit card gift cards will not be accepted.
Check-writing donors can support one or multiple charities by submitting one check payable to “CFFC” for the total amount, accompanied by an official CFFC Fayette Gives Check Contribution Form. The Check Contribution Form will be available on this website once registration closes and check donations are open. Please complete all fields on the Check Contribution Form to specify designation, amounts, and donor information for your gift. Checks must be received at the CFFC office (5 South Mt. Vernon Ave., Uniontown, PA 15401) by 8 p.m. on Fayette Gives day in order to be eligible for the bonus pool.
Please do not modify the Check Contribution Form for your use/outreach. The official Check Contribution Form will be available on this website and completed Forms will be used for consistent and efficient data entry.
No cash gifts will be accepted. Money orders and counter checks will not be accepted either.
Is there a minimum and/or maximum donation?
The minimum donation is $25 per charity. There is no maximum donation; however, a donor may need to contact their credit card provider before a large transaction will be accepted.
Can donations be made from charitable Donor Advised Funds?
Yes, but donors are encouraged to allow extra time for processing and to verify the donation information (such as the CFFC’s mailing address). CFFC is not responsible for coordinating such donations, and late donations received at the CFFC office after 8 p.m. on Fayette Gives day will not receive bonus pool dollars, regardless of donor intent or prior correspondence.
Additionally, CFFC can be contacted to make an ACH transfer.
Can donations be made through an IRA charitable transfer?
Yes, but donors are encouraged allow extra time and initiate this transfer early. IRA charitable transfers can take several weeks to process. Donations must be received at the CFFC office by 8 p.m. on Fayette Gives day to be eligible for the bonus pool.
May my charity use Fayette Gives as an opportunity to collect payments for sponsorships, event registrations, or membership dues?
No. Donors will receive a receipt confirming that their gift is fully tax-deductible, so we cannot accept quid pro quo contributions (meaning a payment made partially as a contribution and partially for goods or services provided to the donor or by the receiving charity). Please contact CFFC if you have questions. (A few examples of a quid pro quo arrangement include payment to attend a program activity or sponsorsoring a table at a fundraising dinner.)
Can charities use raffles or other games of chance to encourage contributions through Fayette Gives?
No. The IRS rules stipulate that raffles and other games of chance are not eligible for tax deductions, so they are not permitted to be used in relation to Fayette Gives donations.
Will you provide any training sessions on how we can promote our charity?
Yes, CFFC will host an educational session each year to explain what Fayette Gives is, how it works, and how charities can take advantage of the special opportunity. CFFC will share information about donation methods, the bonus pool, and ideas for successfully marketing Fayette Gives.
Registered charities will be added to the Fayette Gives e-newsletter, which will provide ongoing updates, tips, and important documents for Fayette Gives. Please be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you are not seeing these emails in your inbox.
Visit the Charity Resources page to learn more.
Can I use your Fayette Gives logo to promote our charity for Fayette Gives day?
Yes. Click here to access Fayette Gives logos for use in print or web.
When will I know how much my charity receives?
Preliminary results are posted after Fayette Gives on the website, but these amounts do not include bonus pool dollars. We will notify all participating charities when the FINAL list of charity totals is available. CFFC does not provide fundraising totals or information about donations until AFTER Fayette Gives.
How can I check the status of donations to my charity?
Charities receive donation information after Fayette Gives (in early December). Charities will not be given status updates on donations until then. If a donor has a question about their gift, they may contact CFFC directly for assistance.
When will my charity receive the donations?
Charities will recieve their Fayette Gives distribution after all donations and bonus pool calculations are reconciled and finalized. This date is pending, but charities will receive their distribution by end-of-year.
Starting in 2023, CFFC is awarding grants via ACH transfer instead of paper checks. Electronic direct despoits will be sent to charities’ bank accounts. Providing this information will be part of charity registration.
Will I know who made a gift to my charity?
All donor contact and gift information received during Fayette Gives will be sent to the respective charities after the final numbers are calculated – early December. Donors who wish to remain anonymous will be listed as such. Check donors who did not provide email addresses will be listed with the CFFC general email of cffayettepa@gmail.com since email is a required field for donation entry.
The CFFC DOES NOT solicit donors with annual appeals and as such we will not solicit donors using the information acquired during Fayette Gives. We will maintain the information to acknowledge donors in our annual report and invite participants to join the CFFC’s e-newsletter.
All donors will receive a gift acknowledgment letter from CFFC for their tax-deductible gift when it is processed, and each charity is encouraged to send their own personal thank-you notes to their donors once the donor list is available.
How will contributions be acknowledged?
Online donors will receive a tax receipt via email shortly after completing their transactions. Check-writing donors who provide an email address will also receive their receipts via email. Check-writing donors who do not provide an email address will not receive a copy of their receipt unless they call CFFC to request a mailed copy.
Can my charity host an event to promote Fayette Gives?
Yes, but you must be sure to follow guidelines about avoiding quid pro quo contributions. Your event cannot be a fundraiser in the typical format of a donation in exchange for goods or services, and all Fayette Gives donations must be directly from the individual donors, rather than a pulled amount of money.
Fayette Gives is intended to be a 12-hour online fundraising marathon – hosting a Fayette Gives gathering could be a good way to bring your donors together to encourage giving, but remember that it’s best to create excitement on the day of Fayette Gives.
Are there guidelines for how my charity can use our Fayette Gives money?
Each participating charity must agree to use their Fayette Gives donations to benefit Fayette County, PA. There is a checkbox in the registration form for you to agree to this, and agreement is required for participation. Your use of Fayette Gives donations is otherwise unrestricted.
