Ways to Give

The simplest and most frequently used method of providing support for the Diocese or any of the Diocesan entities is online through a cash donation. The Diocese of Des Moines accepts gifts made by check, electronic funds transfer (EFT) or credit card authorization (Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express). You may benefit from such gifts with a charitable deduction on your tax return. 

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The Internal Revenue Code allows your donor-advised fund to make a grant in support of a non-binding commitment, and gifts to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines are non-binding.

 

As a general matter, follow the steps below.

Donors can maximize their giving by taking advantage of the Endow Iowa Tax Credit program.  The Catholic Foundation of Southwest Iowa has partnered with The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, a qualified community foundation, to provide access to Endow Iowa Tax Credits.  Endow Iowa allows taxpayers to receive a 25% Iowa tax credit in addition to normal federal charitable income tax deductions for certain charitable gifts.

How it works:

• A variety of gifts qualify for Endow Iowa Tax Credits including cash, real estate, appreciated securities and outright gifts of retirement assets. 
• Tax credits of 25% of the gifted amount are limited to $100,000 in tax credits per individual for a gift of $400,000 or $200,000 in tax credits per couple for a gift of $800,000 million if both are Iowa taxpayers.
• Eligible gifts will qualify for credits on a first-come/first-serve basis until the yearly appropriated limit is reached.  The waitlist for tax credits is being discontinued on July 1, 2023.  The Community Foundation encourages donors to act early in the year to ensure they receive Endow Iowa credits. 
• All qualified donors can carry forward the tax credit for up to five years after the year the donation was made.
• Endow Iowa Tax Credits allow donors to have even greater impact on their philanthropic interests!

We encourage donors to consult with tax advisors to review their individual circumstances.

To utilize the Endow Iowa Tax Credit program for the benefit of the diocese, please contact the Stewardship Office

Donors who are interesting in gifting grain to the Diocese of Des Moines should contact the Stewardship Office

Gifts of grain are a unique and often underutilized way to make a charitable gift. Using grain to make a gift to the can be a wonderful way to support your Church while achieving tax savings.

Donors are encouraged to visit with their tax advisor before gifting grain.  Farmers should consider gifting grain directly, rather than selling the grain and making a gift from the proceeds. By making a direct transfer, farmers may benefit from a more significant tax savings. Contributing grain allows farmers to avoid the sale of the commodity as income, while the production costs may still be deductible. Reducing taxable income may provide advantages such as minimizing or eliminating self-employment tax and reducing adjusted gross income.

An outright gift of appreciated securities, or stock, to the Diocese of Des Moines is a quick and easy way to make a meaningful gift, avoid the capital gains tax and receive an income tax deduction for the fair market value of the stock at the time of the gift.

Gifting stock held more than 12 months offers a two-fold tax savings. First, you avoid paying capital-gains tax on the increase in value of your stock. Additionally, you receive a tax deduction for the full fair market value of the stock on the date of the gift. Subtracting the tax savings from what you originally paid for the stock can result in a gift that costs just pennies on the dollar. This is an excellent vehicle to make a donation from stock that has appreciated substantially in value.

To provide a gift of stock, please reference our Stock Transfer Instructions. If you hold physical stock certificates you would like to transfer, please contact the Stewardship Office 

If you are over 70-1/2 years old, you can save on federal and state taxes on your required minimum distribution by setting up a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from your non-Roth IRA and transferring the funds either partially or entirely to the Diocese of Des Moines.

Contact your retirement investment advisor and set up a QCD for the benefit of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines, 601 Grand Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309, Federal Tax Identification Number 42-0680255. 

A matching gift is a donation a company makes to match an employee’s initial donation to a nonprofit. So when an individual makes a gift of $50 to an organization, their employer will make an additional gift of $50, for a total of $100 - effectively doubling your gift! While some companies are specific about what type of organization they’ll match donations to, a majority of 501(c)(3) organizations are usually eligible. Check to see if your company has an matching gift opportunity here. 

A memorial gift is a wonderful way to honor someone you love. Gifts of cash or credit card are accepted. You may complete this form and mail a check to the Diocese of Des Moines at 601 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309.  Alternatively, you may designate an online gift to one of the diocesan special collections in someone's honor by noting in the comments section.  Please include the name and mailing information of the person you are honoring and any special instructions in the comments section. The family of your loved one will be notified of your kindness. No monetary information will be sent to the family. 

How can you make a major gift to an organization within the Diocese of Des Moines that you are passionate about?  Remembering a parish, school or other organization within the Diocese of Des Moines through a planned gift is as simple as a promise.

Over the years, planned gifts have had a significant impact within the Diocese of Des Moines.  No fees today, no annual payments, just a simple promise.  If you are interested in making that promise, we are here to help.

The Catholic Foundation of Southwest Iowa facilitates all planned gifts on behalf of our Diocese. They would love to visit with you and help you understand just how easy making that promise can truly be. Call the planned giving office at 515-237-5080.