Grassroots Fundraising FAQ

Event Expenses FAQ

Who should I make my check out to?
• Please make all checks payable to: LIVESTRONG.

Where do I mail donation checks?
• All donations must have your “Printable Gift Form” attached and should be mailed to the address on the donation form. Your Printable Gift Form can be found on your personal fundraising page. Mail your forms and checks to:
  LIVESTRONG Foundation
  National Mail Processing Center
  P.O. Box 6002
  Albert Lea, MN 56007-6602

How do you know that a donation is for me?
• The only way we know that a mail-in contribution was made on your behalf is if the donor has placed your Participant ID on the memo line of their check, or attached the donation form to their check.

Is it necessary to send a separate donation form for each donation?
• Yes. In order for a donation to be processed properly it is necessary to send a separate completed donation form for each donation. We will process only one check per donation form. Donation forms can be found on your personal fundraising website. If you need a donation check to be split, please send a separate donation form for each participant and indicate the amount to be credited to each participant. Once a donation is posted to an account, it cannot be split.

What if a check is made out to me, not LIVESTRONG?
• If a donor makes the check out to you, simply endorse the check with your signature and "Payable to LIVESTRONG" and submit it with the donation form. Please note that the account holder on the check will receive the tax receipt from LIVESTRONG.

When will my donations show up in my account?
• Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing throughout the year.

Can I accept the bulk of the donations and write LIVESTRONG one check?
• We do not recommend this method of donation acceptance. If you collect all of the donations and deposit them into your account so that you can write one check, two things will happen: 1) The IRS will consider that deposit income in your account and you will be taxed on the amount, and 2) because the check is from your account, you, and not your donors, will receive a tax receipt from LIVESTRONG.

If a business donates goods or services for my event will they receive a tax receipt from LIVESTRONG?
• When a business donates goods or services to your event it is considered an "in-kind" donation to your event. The business did not donate the goods or services directly to LIVESTRONG; therefore, we cannot issue them a tax receipt.

Will I be notified of the donations in my account?
• When you log into your account, you will be able to see the list of donors that have made a contribution to your account. In the event that you would like to send a note to your donor, you can click on their name so that you can have access to their mailing address. You will then be able to check the box next to their name indicating you have sent them a personal note.

Can I mail a cash donation with a donation form?
• No, please do not mail a cash donation with a donation form. We cannot accept cash donations. For any cash donation you receive, please convert the cash to a cashier's check and mail it with a completed donation form. Please be sure to include the donor's personal information on the donation form so that an accurate receipt can be generated for tax purposes. Please do not deposit the cash into your own account and write a check for that amount; the IRS regards this as income and in addition, if a check is written from your account, you would then receive the tax receipt. It isn't possible to have a check written from your personal account credited to another donor. However, if you have several cash donations from different donors and want to convert them to one check, you can accompany one cashier's check with multiple donation forms to indicate the amount that each donor contributed. Each donor will receive a tax receipt for the amount specified on their donation form.

A donor is requesting a 501(c)(3) letter. What is that and how can I get a copy?
• The 501(c)(3) letter is proof Lance Armstrong Foundation Events is recognized as a nonprofit organization by the federal government. Contact grassrootsfundraising@LIVESTRONG.org to obtain a copy of this form.

What additional information should I include with my matching gift form?
• To ensure that the participant you are sponsoring will be credited when the gift is matched, please write the participant's name, event location and participant ID in the upper right hand corner of the matching gift form. If your company's matching gift form is completed online and a "notes" field is provided please include the participant's name, event city and participant ID. Also, please attach a copy of your donation receipt (if available) to the matching gift form.
  
  Once you have made a copy of the matching gift form to retain for your own records, you should mail the original form to:
  LIVESTRONG Foundation
  Attn: Matching Gifts
  National Mail Processing Center
  P.O. Box 6002
  Albert Lea, MN 56007-6602

How long will it take for a matching gift form to be processed and mailed back to the matching gift company?
• When we receive your matching gift form it will be verified and sent back to the company within two weeks to be matched.

How long will it take for the matching gift to show on my donation report?
• This depends on the company's policy. Please contact the individual company to find out how often matching gifts are distributed. Once we receive the matching gift check, it will be processed and added to your donation report within two to three weeks. Please note that on occasion, the matching gift companies do not note on the check that the funds were intended for your account. If you have confirmed that the matching gift company mailed the check to us and three weeks has passed, please contact us at grassrootsfundraising@LIVESTRONG.org so we can be sure to credit the funds to your account.

Can I get credit for an expected matching gift?
• Unfortunately we are not able to provide credit for expected matching gifts. We do this because a matching gift company can, at any time, amend its program and/or its payout schedule. Once funds are received they will be credited to your account.

What happens if the matching gift is not approved by the matching gift company?
• If the matching gift company does not approve a matching gift, the company will contact either the donor or Grassroots Fundraising with a denial notification. If Grassroots Fundraising is contacted, we will pass the information on to the participant.

Event Expense FAQ

Will LIVESTRONG reimburse me for the costs of my event?
• LIVESTRONG is not able to reimburse a fundraiser for event expenses.
  
  We suggest you find a local sponsor to underwrite the costs of the event as the presenting sponsor. This will not only allow you to host an event with all proceeds supporting the fight against cancer, but businesses can get community-based advertising as well as tax deductions with their receipts.

I already had my event and didn’t have an underwriting sponsor. I need to pay for my expenses out of the proceeds of the event, but want the donors to receive tax receipts. What options are available to me?
• Unfortunately, if you keep money raised from the event to cover expenses, not all the donations will receive a tax receipt. LIVESTRONG can only provide tax receipts for the actual dollars received.
  
  With all Grassroots events, you must provide a spreadsheet included with the event donation stating how much each donor contributed with the name, email address and amount donated. The total on the spreadsheet must equal the amount of the net proceeds check.
  
  For example, if your event raises $10,000 and you keep $2,000 to offset costs, you must provide a document including each donor name, email address, and amount donated totaling $8,000. Each donor on the spreadsheet will receive a tax receipt for the amount they donated.

Do I need to establish a 501(c)(3) to organize an event?
• No. When fundraising and putting on an event, it is not necessary to be a 501(c)(3) or to use another organization's 501(c)(3) status. As an individual, you can set up a bank account under the name of your event. In order for there to be no tax implications, the balance of the account at the end of the year must be a zero balance. You also must have receipts of event expenses and proof that money was donated to LIVESTRONG and we will provide a tax receipt for the donation.

I want to accept donations under the event name—how is this possible?
• To accept donations under a name other than your legal name, you can file for a “Doing Business As” (DBA) name. Rules and registration for DBAs vary by state so you must check with your local government agencies to find state specific information.

Can I use my grassroots fundraising to qualify for Ride for The Roses?
• Yes, we encourage all fundraisers to strive for the incentives that the Ride for the Roses weekend provides. Learn more about the incentive structure on our Ride For The Roses page.

Can I use money raised in 2012 to qualify for Ride for the Roses in 2013?
• The deadline for Ride for The Roses 2012 was 5 p.m. CT, Friday, September 28. Any money raised after that date will be used towards qualifying for Ride for the Roses in 2013.

What will happen to my fundraising URL from 2012 in 2013?
• The 2013 pages will open on December 17, 2012. We suggest that you begin the New Year with a new page as you will receive a new URL automatically with your 2013 fundraising center. Any funds raised after the Ride for the Roses Deadline of September 28, 2012, can be transferred into your new page. If you have any questions, please email grassrootsfundraising@livestrong.org.