Other Ways to Give

Many employers have matching gift programs and will match charitable contributions made by their employees. To find out if your company has a matching gift program, how much they will match, and how to initiate the match, please search now.

If your employer’s name does not appear in the search results, check with your company’s human resources department. If your company does not currently offer a matching gift program, please consider asking them to establish one.

Some employers offer volunteer grants in recognition of their associates’ volunteer work on behalf of the company. This can include individual volunteerism like serving on a board or volunteering on your own with a nonprofit organization. It can also include volunteering as part of a corporate group for special events or other volunteer opportunities. Be sure to ask your HR representative if your employer has “dollars for doers.” 

A gift of appreciated securities, such as stocks, bonds or mutual funds, can be a wonderful alternative to making cash contributions and offers some tax advantages.  Contributing appreciated securities that have been owned for more than one year provides the opportunity to make an impactful gift to LSS while avoiding capital gains tax.  You will receive a charitable deduction for the full fair market value of the stock, bond or mutual fund.  This value is calculated utilizing the mean between the highest and lowest quoted selling price on the date the security is delivered. Please view this page for more information. 

Donor Advised Funds (DAF) are one of the most popular tools for charitable giving today. A DAF is like a charitable investment account that is set up for the sole purpose of supporting charities such as Lutheran Social Services. Individuals can contribute cash, stocks or other assets into the DAF and receive an immediate tax deduction. Those funds are invested for tax-free growth and the individual can recommend donations to charities of their choice over time.

You can make a difference and help people in need in our community by making a gift to LSS from your DAF today!

• Recommend a donation through DAF Direct
  DAF Direct enables you to donate to LSS directly from your DAF. If your DAF sponsoring organization does not participate in DAF Direct, please have them direct your gift to the address below.
  
  

• Send a DAF gift directly from your sponsoring organization
  Please make checks payable to Lutheran Social Services or your desired LSS program (see below) and mail to:
  1105 Schrock Rd., Ste. 100
  Columbus, OH 43229
  
  

  Lutheran Social Services: 31-4412586
  LSS Faith Mission: 31-0809759
  LSS CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence: 31-0910779
  LSS 211 Central Ohio: 31-1084722

Did you know that you can use your retirement accounts to make a positive impact through Lutheran Social Services? If you are 70½ or older, you can make a tax-free gift from your IRA (up to $105,000) to Lutheran Social Services, as well as LSS Faith Mission and LSS CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence.

These transfers, known as qualified charitable distributions or QCDs, offer eligible Americans a great way to easily give to charity before the end of the year without incurring income taxes on the distribution. And, for those who are at least 73 years old, QCDs count toward the IRA owner’s required minimum distribution (RMD) for the year.

The benefits of QCDs:  

1. Tax Savings: One of the primary advantages of making charitable donations through QCDs is the potential for tax savings. By directing funds straight from your IRA to Lutheran Social Services, the distributed amount isn’t counted as taxable income.
2. Meeting Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs): For retirees who are required to take minimum distributions from their IRAs, QCDs can be an excellent way to satisfy this requirement while supporting LSS.
3. Reducing Adjusted Gross Income (AGI): QCDs can lower your AGI, which may have positive effects on other aspects of your financial planning, such as reducing Medicare premiums or lowering the impact of the taxation of Social Security benefits.
   
   

How to make a QCD:  

1. Check Eligibility: Ensure that you are at least 70½ years old, as this is the age requirement for making QCDs.
2. Choose a Qualified Charity: Confirm that your chosen charity is eligible to receive QCDs. Most public charities fall into this category, but private foundations and donor-advised funds may not. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Lutheran Social Services is a qualified charity, as well as LSS Faith Mission and LSS CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence. 
3. Contact Your IRA Administrator: Inform your IRA administrator of your intention to make a QCD. They can guide you through the process, including preparing the necessary paperwork.
4. Complete the Transaction: Once the details are in order, your IRA administrator can send the funds directly to your chosen charity.

*Limitations may apply, consult your tax advisor to learn more about making an IRA charitable gift.  

Thank you for your interest in planning a fundraiser for LSS. Our work would not be possible without your support. Before you raise funds for LSS or one of our Network of Hope programs, we ask that you let us know.

Below are easy steps to request approval, as well as some helpful hints to make your event a success!

For questions or concerns about event planning or the approval process, please contact us at 614-429-5484 or submit a contact form.

STEP ONE: REVIEW OUR FUNDRAISING GUIDELINES

We appreciate your support of LSS, and we want your event to be a success! The services that LSS Network of Hope programs provide are vital to our community. Your adherence to these guidelines is required and are intended to protect you and LSS. We encourage you to print them out and use them as your guide during the planning process.

STEP TWO: COMPLETE AND SUBMIT AN APPLICATION

After reviewing the event guidelines, please complete and submit the Fundraising Application. We will contact you within 2-3 business days upon receipt of this application to discuss your event and the approval process.

STEP THREE: PLAN YOUR EVENT

As you plan, download these helpful hints and tips to aid you in planning your fundraiser.

STEP FOUR: SHARE YOUR SUCCESS

Your event is over, and it went off without a hitch! While you’re celebrating your event’s success, make sure to submit your donation to our office within 30 days. Timeliness is encouraged so we can put your generous donation to work helping others as soon as possible.

Also, please share your story with us! We’d love to hear about your efforts. Your success story might be highlighted in an upcoming newsletter, on our website or on social media.

Please send the following details to your LSS contact within seven days of your event.

• Event name
• Name of organizer and organization name
• Brief description of the event
• 2 or 3 large-size photos of the event
• Links or tags to your organization’s social media

Thank you for your support of the LSS Network of Hope!