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What are Giving Certificates?
Giving Certificates are like gift certificates, but with a gift certificate you can buy goods; with a Giving Certificate you can do good. Giving Certificates are redeemable for cash by any of the more than one and a half million IRS-approved exempt organizations. You can give them to charities or give them to people you care about, and let them choose the cause.

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How do I get Giving Certificates?
Giving Certificates are available in many denominations. There is a small additional charge for shipping and handling. You can order online or by mail using our convenient order form. Print it, fill it out, and mail it to us (with a check, of course) to 30473 Mulholland Highway #64, Agoura Hills, California 91301. If you have questions, you can reach us at 800-854-5601. We are a volunteer-run organization, so we may not be able to get back to you right away... but we WILL!

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Can I order by phone?
Unfortunately, no. We have no way of taking credit cards over the phone. We can only accept online orders or checks sent by mail.

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What do I do with Giving Certificates?
You give them away. Each Giving Certificate comes with a note describing what they are, how they work, and how everyone associated with this new product is helping to forge a new era of philanthropy. Giving Certificates are perfect in lieu of a traditional gift basket or a card announcing “a donation in your name” has been made to someone else’s favorite charity. Now, through your generosity, the person who receives a Giving Certificate gets to choose how the money will be used.

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What do you mean by "Give the Joy of Giving"?
The transferability of Giving Certificates makes them a perfect gift. The purchaser knows that the money will go to a good cause, but the recipient determines which cause will benefit (in lieu of sending "a charitable donation made in your name" to a charity the recipient may not care about).

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What do you mean by "Teach the Joy of Giving"?
In the hands of a child, Giving Certificates are the perfect tool for teaching the importance of charity. (Learn more about our Charitable Literacy program.) Some adults who receive Giving Certificates as gifts may also learn (or be reminded) of the satisfaction one receives from the act of giving.

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How do Giving Certificates help me make my gift count?
Many people have come to believe that their small gifts to charities are entirely spent on marketing efforts to encourage future giving (e.g., frequent solicitation mailings, phone calls, “free gifts,” etc.). By sending Giving Certificates to a qualified charity anonymously, a donor can ensure that the gift goes to its intended use, while still being able to take full advantage of the tax deduction for the donation.

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Do Giving Certificates expire?
Yes. Giving Certificates currently being issued expire on May 31, 2016. Giving Certificates are usually good for about 6 months. The expiration date is meant to encourage you to forward the donation to a charity as soon as possible. That makes the money work harder. It also is necessary to help us keep our books in order. In cases where a donor requests a different expiration date, we make every effort to accomodate.

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Can Giving Certificates be returned for a refund?
No. Money paid for Giving Certificates is fully committed to benefit non-profit organizations and cannot be returned.

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How and when will I receive my Giving Certificates?
Charity Checks is a volunteer-run organization, but we do our best to fill orders promptly. You will receive your order by U.S. Post Office Priority Mail. If you would like us to ship your order using an overnight shipping service, you can include a note to us with your account number when you place your order. We can also arrange to use an overnight service if you make an additional donation to cover the cost.

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So, do Giving Certificates have any intrinsic value?
Good question! Unless you are a valid, recognized, qualified, bona fide, IRS-approved exempt organization, Giving Certificates have no cash value. If you are one of those, you can deposit your Giving Certificate like any other check. If you aren’t, then you get the benefit of a Giving Certificate when you give it away -- to your favorite cause.

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Who gets the tax deduction?
The person who buys the Giving Certificates gets the right to a tax deduction immediately on buying the check. There is no tax deduction involved in giving the Giving Certificate to a charity. If someone gives you a Giving Certificate to donate, you cannot take a deduction.

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How can my charity qualify to receive Giving Certificates?
Giving Certificates are redeemable by any U.S.-based nonprofit (501(c)(3)) organization. There are more than one million such organizations in the United States.

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How can I help Charity Checks?
Charity Checks is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging charitable giving. To help us in this effort, you can:

• Make a monetary donation
• Donate your used car
• Donate stock
• Volunteer
• Sponsor a classroom
• Tell your friends about America's Giving Certificates

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