Once you set up your Giving Account, you can start supporting charities right away.
The Giving Account lets you support most qualified 501(c)(3) public charities, with a few exceptions, with a minimum grant amount of just $50. Learn more about our grant recommendation process and international giving!
How do I recommend a grant?
First, find out if it's a 501(c)(3) public charity by checking the charity's website, Guidestar or by calling them directly to ask before you submit your grant recommendation. Please note that all grant recommendations must comply with Fidelity Charitable's Giving Account Guide. Public charity status alone does not guarantee that a grant recommendation will be approved.
501(c)(3) refers to the tax-exempt status of a nonprofit organization as qualified under IRS rules. Because 501(c)(3) organizations are charitable in nature, they are allowed to receive tax-deductible donations from donors like you.
There are different kinds of 501(c)(3) organizations, public charities and private foundations. Fidelity Charitable can generally only make grants to public charities, which includes most 501(c)(3)s — anything from your alma mater to your local arts council. Fidelity Charitable cannot support certain supporting organizations or most private foundations.
You have two options for using your Giving Account to support causes outside the U.S. You can recommend a grant to an American charity that works overseas, or you can recommend a grant to an American intermediary charity that will, in turn, make a grant to your preferred organization for an additional fee.
If you have a preferred international organization in mind, start by reaching out to the intermediary charities that work in your region of interest, and ask if they work with the charity you have in mind. Then compare fees and timing considerations. Intermediary charities can also help you choose a local organization that would benefit from your support. Keep in mind that lots of U.S.-based organizations do meaningful work oversees, so you don't necessarily have to support an international charity to support causes abroad.
For starters, it’s a good idea to contact the intermediary charity and find out if it works with the organization you have in mind. Secondly, intermediary charities charge a fee for their international grantmaking diligence and associated costs. Finally, while granting to an intermediary is essentially the same as any other U.S.-based charity, you may want to specify a recommended use for the funds.
For example, you can recommend a $10,000 grant to Give2Asia and specify "Cambodian Center for the Protection of Children's Rights to support their walk-in center for homeless youth," or simply "for Cambodian Center for the Protection of Children's Rights, where it's needed most."
Ready to get started?
Opening a Giving Account is fast and easy, and there is no minimum initial contribution.
Or call us at 1-800-262-6039
