Charities that accept Amex online donations

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beardoc said:
So are people donating? I would be stoked if people are. It would be fantastic.

I myself usually donate to a few charities at tax time. This year I've brought it forward and am distributing the same amount amongst multiple charities. I would be glad if others are giving to some charities for the first time!
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I'm donating small amounts to many charities at the moment. I usually donate a more substantial amount to a couple of charities at tax time.

One $2 donation has backfired on me. I donated online to the RFDS and a receipt was forwarded to me by email..... End of story, or so I thought.
Yesterday a hand written:shock: receipt arrived in the mail, complete with .55c stamp. I suspect that Australia Post gained more from my donation than the RFDS did. :confused: Perhaps $5 would have been a more suitable donation. :oops:

World Vision have a much more sensible approach. If you are registered as a donor with them they tally your donations and send only one receipt at the end of the financial year.
 
Was going to add another worthy donations recipient to the main post - SES - but when checking their website they don't have CC donations available. Tried to also look as Surf Lifesaving - but too many screens to go through before one can find out what CC's are available
 
One more to add to the list:

Royal Childrens Hospital Foundation - B015 Christmas appeal (Qld)

I would provide a link, but my post count is not high enough. Link is available via the B105 website.
 
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Lindsay Wilson said:
Tried to also look as Surf Lifesaving - but too many screens to go through before one can find out what CC's are available
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They do accept Amex according to their website...

The Donate now button is top left of their main website...

slsa asn au

Put . where appropriate
 
That's very generous of you MDC and should be commended. Personally I had seen donations more of a win-win than a double up for the charities - you're a better person than me.

I am wondering however about the efficiency (for want of a better word) of your strategy. Would it not be better for you to use the points you earn to purchase something that you would have purchased anyway (especially if that happens to be a long-haul flight), then donate the money you would have spent to charity? That way you aren't out of pocket, you get a second tax deduction, and (depending on the value of points to charities) the charities possibly get more money out of it aswell. In addition, you get wider choice about where to donate.

Of course, the merit of my argument is contingent on the number of points you expect to earn (I'm assuming they are substantial, thanks to the current Amex promo), how you usually spend them, what they are worth to charities, and the charities you prefer to donate to etc.
 
NSWhere said:
That's very generous of you MDC and should be commended. Personally I had seen donations more of a win-win than a double up for the charities - you're a better person than me.

I am wondering however about the efficiency (for want of a better word) of your strategy. Would it not be better for you to use the points you earn to purchase something that you would have purchased anyway (especially if that happens to be a long-haul flight), then donate the money you would have spent to charity? That way you aren't out of pocket, you get a second tax deduction, and (depending on the value of points to charities) the charities possibly get more money out of it aswell. In addition, you get wider choice about where to donate.

Of course, the merit of my argument is contingent on the number of points you expect to earn (I'm assuming they are substantial, thanks to the current Amex promo), how you usually spend them, what they are worth to charities, and the charities you prefer to donate to etc.
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The number of points will be quite low. I donated to approx 12 charities so under the 5T/5k promo would yeild approx 12000 bonus points, plus the total $ amount of the donations. Enough for 2 x $50 donations via Membership Rewards.

This could work out nicely if someone was to donate $5 to each of the 12 charities. $60 outlay by yourself PLUS $100 in donations by redeeming the points you earn.
 
In that case I agree fully, $160 for charities for ~$30-$40 out of pocket expense.

EDIT: Looking at the MR redemptions it still seems better to redeem for a gift voucher of a place you often shop at. They are slightly poorer value @ 13500/$100. If you donate the $100 that you spend at, say DJs, then you have donated $160 (same as before), spent 1500 more points, but the out of pocket expense could roughly = $0 give or take depending on your income (because you get tax deduction on the full $160, and the $100 was going to be spent anyway).

Charity arbitrage!
 
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Another charity to add to the list is Learning For Life

This not-for-profit organisation provides subsidised, intensive, early intervention programs to pre-school children with an autism spectrum disorder.

They are dedicated to making these programs accessible to families who might not otherwise be able to afford them.
 
WSPA through the VelocityRewards ShopAndEarn site takes Amex, and gives you 275 Velocity points for a one off donation to boot.
 
I've just found something else - if you're interested in giving to multiple smaller causes, then check out ourcommunity.com.au - Make a donation to a community group, school or charity through Australia's Giving Centre. The Australian Giving Centre lists a pile of causes, and they promise that of your donation, they deduct only 1.3% for Amex transactions, and forward the full amount remaining to the charity of your choice. They email you your donation receipt, so you don't cost the charity as much money, which is particularly important for smaller charities (like the RFDS tranaction - hand writing and mailing a receipt for a $2 transaction).

If you're going to make multiple small transactions, then this might be the way to do it so that most of your donation gets to the charity.

I'm going to start using this. There are piles of charities through this service, and you can search easily for one that suits you!

One word of warning - not all the appeals on the website are charities and so not all are tax deductible. Check whether it is tax deductible on the page for each appeal before giving.
 
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Here is my list .....

World Vision
Compassion
Sydney 103.2 FM
Victor Chang Cardiac Research
Garvan Institute
WSPA
Oxfam
Salvation Army
Red Cross
Caritas
Unicef Australia
CMRI
Canteen
The Smiths Family
Taronga Zoo
Doctors without Borders
Mission Australia
Cancer Council
National Breast Cancer Foundation
RSPCA
Greenpeace
Royal Flying Doctors
Australian Heart Foundation
Fred Hollows Foundation
Ronald McDonald House
Legacy
Boystown
Wesley Mission
UNHCR
Movember
Starlight Children Foundation
Make a Wish Foundation
Samartian's Purse
St Vincent De Paul
Spastic Centre
Anglicare
Habitat for Humanity
Amnesty International
 
In addition, if you're looking for further places to donate, then try Philanthropy Australia » Charities. Lots are there, and whilst not all of them will take American Express, a good majority of them will.

I'm now preferring to do this instead of shop for myself during this promotion. I think that it's far more valuable than stuff I might consider for myself. And I can do it from the comfort of my own home rather than going shopping all the time!
 
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