Giving Beyond Cash
Practical Giving Options for Everyday Generosity
For many of us, giving cash is the simplest and most familiar way to support the causes and ministries we care about.
But there are other ways to give that may already fit naturally into your existing rhythms of generosity. Many people simply don't realize these options exist or know how they work.
"You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion…" — 2 Corinthians 9:11
A Note Before You Begin
Generosity Can Look Different for Everyone
Not Just for Major Donors
These options are often more accessible than people realize.
Can Apply to Regular Giving
Some people use these approaches as part of regular generosity or even tithing.
You Don't Have to Figure It Out Alone
Whether you're simply curious or ready to take a next step, our finance team is happy to help answer questions and guide you through these options.
Understanding Your Options
Different Ways to Give
Generosity can take many forms, and different giving options may make sense in different seasons of life and stewardship. Select any option below to learn more.
New for 2026
Standard Deduction Giving Benefit: Even if you take the standard deduction, you may be eligible to deduct up to $1,000 in qualifying charitable cash contributions ($2,000 for married couples filing jointly). While every situation is different, this change may allow more people to receive a tax benefit for charitable giving.
Consult your tax advisor regarding your specific circumstances.
Cash giving covers checks, credit/debit cards, bank transfers, and recurring online gifts. You give directly — once or on a schedule — and receive a receipt for your records.
Why people choose this
- Simple and immediate
- Easy to track and budget
- Works for any giving amount
Bunching means combining what would have been two or more years of giving into a single tax year, so your total charitable contributions may exceed the standard deduction threshold — allowing you to itemize that year.
A simple example
If you normally give $6,000 per year, you give $12,000 in one year instead. That larger amount may push you over the standard deduction, making your giving tax-deductible that year. The following year you take the standard deduction.
Who this might make sense for
- People who give regularly but don't typically itemize deductions
- Those close to the standard deduction threshold
- Anyone wanting tax efficiency without changing their overall giving amount
Appreciated assets are things you own — like stocks, mutual funds, or real estate — that have grown in value. When you give them directly to a nonprofit instead of selling first, you may avoid paying capital gains tax on the growth and still receive a deduction for the full current value.
A simplified example
- Stock purchased for $2,000, now worth $10,000
- Selling it means owing tax on $8,000 of gains
- Donating it directly: you may avoid that tax and receive a deduction for the full $10,000
If you're 70½ or older with a traditional IRA, you may be able to give directly from that account to a qualified nonprofit. This is called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD).
How it works
Once you reach a certain age, the IRS requires a minimum annual withdrawal from your IRA — called a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). These withdrawals are typically taxable.
A QCD lets you direct up to $105,000 per year (2024) from your IRA straight to a qualified charity. That amount counts toward your RMD without being added to your taxable income — even if you take the standard deduction.
No Double Tax Benefit: Because Qualified Charitable Distributions are excluded from taxable income, they do not also qualify as an itemized charitable deduction. In other words, the tax benefit comes through reducing taxable income rather than receiving an additional deduction.
A Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) is a charitable giving account you open through a sponsoring organization — like Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, or a local community foundation. You contribute funds, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants to the nonprofits you care about over time.
How it works
1. Open an account — through a provider of your choice.
2. Make a contribution — cash, stock, or other assets. You receive a charitable deduction in the year you contribute, even if you haven't decided where to give yet.
Additional Tax Efficiency: Many donors choose to contribute appreciated assets, such as stock, to a Donor-Advised Fund to potentially maximize tax efficiency while supporting charitable causes.
3. Recommend grants — over time, direct funds to any qualified nonprofit — churches, ministries, local organizations, and more.
Why people use DAFs
- Contribute a large amount in one year for the tax benefit, then give thoughtfully over several years
- Pairs naturally with the bunching strategy
- You Stay in Control: You remain in control of recommending how and when grants are distributed to the charities and ministries you care about.
- Simplified Recordkeeping: Instead of tracking receipts from every charitable gift, you generally only need documentation for contributions made into the DAF.
- Easy Ongoing Support: Many DAF providers allow recurring grants to charities, making ongoing giving simple and consistent.
A Lasting Legacy: You may also name successor advisors, allowing future generations to continue supporting causes that matter to your family.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Choose How You'd Like to Give
Whether you're ready to explore giving options with KidZ at Heart or simply learning what type of giving might best support causes and organizations you care about most, we'd be honored to walk alongside you.
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Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)
Our finance team is here to help make
A DAF is a charitable giving account where you contribute funds, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants to your chosen nonprofits — like KidZ at Heart — over time. It works especially well when combined with bunching strategies or gifts of appreciated assets.
Retirement Giving (QCD / IRA)
Our finance team is here to help make
If you're 70½ or older, you may be able to give directly from your IRA to KidZ at Heart — up to $105,000 per year. A QCD counts toward your Required Minimum Distribution and is excluded from your taxable income, making it one of the most tax-efficient giving options available to retirees.
Appreciated Assets
Our finance team is here to help make
If you own stocks, mutual funds, or real estate that have grown in value, giving them directly to KidZ at Heart may allow you to avoid capital gains tax on the growth while still receiving a charitable deduction for the full fair market value — often making the impact greater than an equivalent cash gift.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Not at all. These options are often more accessible than people assume. A Donor-Advised Fund, for example, can be opened with as little as $5,000 at many providers. Appreciated assets can apply to modest investment accounts. And bunching simply means adjusting the timing of giving you were already planning to do. The right option depends on your individual circumstances, not your wealth level.
Yes. Many of these approaches are simply different vehicles for the same generosity. You can fund a DAF account and use it to send regular grants to your church. You can give appreciated stock and have the same impact as a cash gift — sometimes more. The heart behind the giving stays the same; these are just different practical pathways.
Yes. KidZ at Heart is able to receive gifts through several of these methods. Please reach out to our finance team at finance@kidzatheart.org to discuss the specifics and get guidance on how to proceed with your preferred giving option.
For some of these options — particularly QCDs, appreciated assets, and larger DAF contributions — it's a good idea to speak with a tax professional or financial advisor first, since individual tax situations vary. That said, you don't need to have all your financial planning in place before starting a conversation. Our finance team can help point you toward the right questions to ask and the right next step for your situation.
A Donor-Advised Fund is especially well-suited for this. You make one contribution to your DAF account and then recommend grants to as many qualified nonprofits as you'd like — your church, KidZ at Heart, local organizations, and more. It simplifies the process of giving to multiple causes while keeping everything organized in one place.
Not Sure Which Option Fits You?
Not every giving strategy makes sense for every person or season of life. The best option depends on your goals, assets, tax situation, and charitable priorities.
If you're curious about any of these approaches, we'd be happy to help point you toward additional resources or connect you with a financial professional who can help you evaluate your options.
Sometimes the hardest part is simply knowing where to begin.
Questions or ready to take a next step? Our finance team would be happy to help guide you through these giving options.
Contact Our Finance Team finance@kidzatheart.orgBecause every financial and tax situation is different, we always encourage speaking with a trusted tax, legal, or financial professional when considering these types of giving options.