Giving Globally

Supporting causes in the United States is not the only way Americans want to give. International philanthropy can be a key component of a charitable plan.

For U.S. donors, there are three ways to give your support overseas:

• Directly to the foreign organizations
• To U.S.-based organizations that support foreign charities
• To international intermediaries whose mission it is to facilitate grants to foreign charities

Direct Giving

For many people, supporting causes overseas with direct giving can be complicated:

• Finding the right charities takes time and research
• Donating U.S. dollars directly requires effort and expense on the part of the charity to convert the currency
• Giving directly to a non-U.S. organization may not create a tax-deductible event for U.S. tax purposes
• Understanding and complying with any U.S. rules regarding international gifting can be challenging

Fortunately, there are other ways to support international charitable causes.

Supporting U.S.-Based Charitable Organizations

Instead of sending donations directly to foreign charities, an easier way may be to give to U.S. charities whose mission it is to perform work outside the country. Examples of these include universities, religious organizations, and other charities that may be involved in supporting or engaging in charitable projects outside of the United States.

Or, there may be a "friends of" organization, a U.S. charity whose mission it is to raise funds from U.S. donors for specific charitable causes outside of the country. To find out if a foreign charity has a U.S.-based organization that raises funds for it, you can research using GuideStar^®.

Supporting U.S. Intermediary Charities

Another simple and effective way to give to foreign causes is by donating to U.S. charities whose mission it is to facilitate international philanthropy. These organizations are intermediaries that support philanthropic causes worldwide that are often operated by members of the communities they serve.

If you feel passionately about supporting a specific charitable cause in a specific country or region, there is likely a U.S. intermediary charity that can help. These charities work with you to research the overseas causes you care about.

These organizations generally charge a fee for their services, which is deducted from the donation, or grant, amount. However, because your donation is to a U.S. charity, you are generally eligible to take an immediate tax deduction.

Learn about some of these Intermediary Charities