Local Solano’s Day of Giving Q&A

What is Give Local Solano (GLS)?

Give Local Solano is a 24-hour, online giving event organized by the Solano Community Foundation to support nonprofits and help build a culture of philanthropy in Solano County.

When will Give Local Solano take place?

GLS is held on the first Tuesday following Thanksgiving Day. This year, that day falls on December 1, 2020, from 00:01 through midnight. GLS is held in conjunction with #GivingTuesday, the global day of giving.

Who can make a GLS donation?

Anyone can make a donation to a registered nonprofit on website. You do not have to live in Solano County to donate, but the participating nonprofits must be located in or providing services to Solano County.

How can I make a donation?

Using your credit card, you can donate to any nonprofit that has registered to participate. Participating nonprofits will each have a donation (profile) page where you can choose the amount you want to donate and fill in the donation form. If you make a typing error while making a contribution, contact Solano Community Foundation at (707) 399-3846 or send an email to .

Is my gift tax deductible?

100% of the donation qualifies as a charitable gift. You will receive an email confirming the deduction from the Solano Community Foundation for your records. By selecting a specific charity to receive your donation, your gift is restricted for that charity and will not be given to any other charity.

What is the minimum and maximum donation amounts?

A minimum gift of $10 is requested but there is no limit to the maximum size or number of donations you can make. All gifts made on GLS giving day are non-refundable (with the exception of credit card errors).

Can I make a donation using my phone?

Yes. The Give Local Solano website is a ‘mobile optimized platform’ that will make it easy to make a gift on using a PC, tablet, or your smart phone.

Can I give to more than one organization?

Yes, you may make multiple donations to one or more participating nonprofits. Each Give Local Solano nonprofit participant has a donate button on their profile page.

Is my gift safe and secure?

Yes. The GiveLocalSolano.org website is a secure and compliant site for donating to your favorite charities. You can be sure your personal information is protected when you donate through the PayPal giving platform.

Why should I give?

Public charities, schools, and religious institutions play an essential role in improving the lives of Solano County residents – in health, arts, environment, education and social services, to name a few. In today’s economic environment, nonprofit organizations need to accomplish much more with much less.

Will I be able to tell that I made a donation?

Credit card donations (MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover) made during the 24-hour donation period will appear as an increase in the total amount raised and number of gifts made to the charity(ies) of your choice on the website “leaderboard” page.

I do not use credit cards. Can I make a donation through PayPal?

Yes, you can make a gift through your PayPal account. However, it may take a bit longer for your gift to be added to the leaderboard on the day of giving. Wired gifts are acceptable, however we ask that you contact SCF prior to the day of giving for transfer details and instructions.

What if I can’t find my favorite nonprofit on the Give Local Solano site?

To participate in this year’s GLS campaign, nonprofit organizations must register online (click ‘Registration’ tab to begin the process) on or before October 30, 2020. If a charity does not meet this deadline, they will not be able to participate in the #GiveLocalSolano campaign. However, we encourage donors to visit a favorite nonprofit’s website to make a donation on #GivingTuesday, or anytime during the year.

How will I be recognized as a donor?

You will receive an email from Solano Community Foundation, this will be your tax receipt. When the event ends, the nonprofit(s) you donated to will also thank you. You can choose to make an anonymous donation if you prefer. Anonymous donors will receive a tax receipt from SCF, but will not receive a thank you from the nonprofit organization to which they contributed.

Does it cost anything to give on GiveLocalSolano.org?

No. There is no fee to you as a donor. The PayPal transaction fees for all donations made are paid by SCF at the time the gift payment is made.

How much of my donation goes to the nonprofit?

Every dollar donated will go directly to the organization. PayPal, our online giving provider, assesses a small transaction fee (less than 3%) for each gift donated. SCF will pay this transaction fee for all gifts made. The disbursement amount made to each nonprofit after the event will equal their total gifts received.

Does Solano Community Foundation receive any portion of the donations?

Yes, gifts made to the Nonprofit Partnership Program (NPP), a Solano Community Foundation program, will help cover the transaction fees. Donations received in excess of the fees will be used to support NPP grantmaking efforts.

How do I list this charitable donation on my tax form?

It should be listed as a donation to Solano Community Foundation (Tax EIN #68-0354961). SCF receives all donations first, then makes disbursements to GLS participants. Use Give Local Solano as the purpose or reason for your donation, and include the charity’s name as a reference.

What organizations are participating in Give Local Solano?

The alphabetical list of nonprofit participnts can be found under the ‘GLS Participants’ tab; each organization will have its own profile page. We cannot promise your favorite charity will participate, but Solano Community Foundation has verified that those that do are a qualified 501(c)(3) public charity.

Beyond a donation, how can I support my favorite nonprofit on this day?

After you have made your donation(s), help us spread the word among your friends and family, co-workers and colleagues about . Share the GLS event on your social media networks and ask your followers to make a gift and share their posts. Let everyone know about the good work nonprofits do for their communities and the residents of Solano County.