There Are Many Ways You Can Support OCA’s Work
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is a grassroots 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization. We rely heavily on individual contributions in order to educate and advocate on behalf of more than a million consumers.
About 80 percent of our funding comes from people like you, who believe that we must organize millions of people to resist the corporate takeover of our food and farming systems, and hold politicians and government agencies accountable for decisions and policies that affect our health, and the health of our ecosystem.
Donations to the OCA are tax deductible. Our tax ID number is 41-1908341.
Donations to our 501(c)4 lobbying arm, Citizens Regeneration Lobby (CRL), are used specifically to support political campaigns and our lobbying work. Click here to donate to CRL. Donations to CRL are not tax-deductible.
Have a question about a past or future donation? Please call us at (218) 226-4164 or email us at office@organicconsumers.org.
Below is a list of ways you can donate to OCA.
One-time donation
There are three easy ways to make a one-time, tax-deductible donation to OCA.
• Mail your check to:
The Organic Consumers Association
6771 South Silver Hill Drive
Finland, MN, 55603
• Call our office:
218-226-4164
Monthly recurring donation
When you set up a recurring monthly donation, you help provide valuable, predictable and sustained funding for the campaigns we wage on your behalf. Recurring monthly donations also help you budget your support of OCA, by allowing you to break up a single donation into monthly increments. And because it’s automated, you can set up the monthly donation, for as many months as you like, and not have to think about it again.
To make a recurring monthly donation, go to our online donation page and select “Recurring Contribution,” or call our office at 218-226-4164 and someone will help you.
Matching gifts
Ask your employer about a matching gifts program. Your employer may be among the thousands of companies, including corporations, foundations, nonprofits and associations that match their employees’ charitable contributions—sometimes up to twice the amount of the initial gift.
In addition to matching gifts of cash, some employers will match your gift of stock or securities. Some even match gifts made by employee spouses, retirees and board members.
The process is usually simple and it’s a great way to increase the value of your donation!
Create your own fundraiser on Facebook
Ask your social media networks to donate to OCA for your birthday. Or set up a Facebook fundraiser asking your friends to support a specific OCA campaign. Easy, step-by-step instructions here.
Gifts of stock
Do you own stocks, bonds, or mutual funds that you’d like to convert, but you don’t want to pay capital gains tax on the appreciation?
Giving non-cash property enables you to help OCA while conserving your cash for other uses. Plus, you may gain greater tax savings than you would if you made an equivalent donation of cash.
Your accountant or broker can advise you on the tax consequences of making a gift of stock, bonds or mutual funds to OCA. If you choose to donate non-cash property, please contact our accountant, deb@organicconsumers.org, 218-226-4164.
As you plan for the future of your family, please consider providing for the future of OCA’s work as well. Including OCA in your will lets you support your commitment to public health and the environment well beyond your lifetime.
It’s easy to leave a bequest of any specific dollar amount, or a percentage of your estate, by including the proper language in your will. Here’s some sample language you can adapt:
“I give and bequeath ____ percent (or a specific amount) of my residuary estate to the Organic Consumers Association, a Minnesota 501c(3) non-profit corporation, to be used by it for its general and campaign purposes.”
Or
“I give and bequeath ____ percent (or a specific amount) of my residuary estate to the Organic Consumers Association, a Minnesota 501c(3) non-profit corporation, to be used by it for its general and campaign purposes. Specifically, the bequest shall be used to support the _________ Campaign.”
If you have questions about how to leave OCA a bequest, please contact our accountant, deb@organicconsumers.org, 218-226-4164.
Donor-Advised funds
A donor-advised fund allows you to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax benefit and then recommend grants from the fund over time. They work a lot like a charitable savings account. Often they can be set up with as little as $1,000 or $5,000.
There are about 30 national organizations that sponsor donor-advised funds. Some are the charitable arm of for-profit financial services institutions such as the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, the Schwab Charitable, and the Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program. Others are independent sponsoring organizations such as the National Philanthropic Trust and the American Endowment Foundation.
The Internal Revenue has published a guide to establishing a donor-advised fund. But you will probably want to contact your accountant or financial consultant for advice tailored to your specific situation.
Community foundations
Some of our supporters make donor-advised contributions through their local community foundations. Community foundations make grants to a wide variety of charitable causes.
There are nearly 700 community foundations in the United States. Contact your local community foundation to learn how you can make a donor-advised contribution to OCA. You can find the community foundation in your city or state here.
Endowment
Every nonprofit struggles with operational costs and how to remain sustainable from year to year. You can help permanently support OCA by making an endowment gift.
Endowment funds are managed to grow steadily over time. Each year, some of the earnings from the funds are distributed. Over time, an endowment helps us count on steady funding to meet our budget expenses. If you have questions about creating an endowment for OCA, please contact our accountant, deb@organicconsumers.org, 218-226-4164.
Charitable remainder trust
Many families use charitable remainder trusts (CRTs) to increase their incomes, save taxes and benefit charities.
A CRT lets you convert a highly appreciated asset (like stock or real estate) into lifetime income. It reduces your income taxes now and estate taxes when you die. You pay no capital gains tax when the asset is sold. And it lets you help one or more charities that have special meaning to you.
Here’s how it works. You transfer an appreciated asset into an irrevocable trust. This removes the asset from your estate, so no estate taxes will be due on it when you die. You also receive an immediate charitable income tax deduction.
The trustee then sells the asset at full market value, paying no capital gains tax, and re-invests the proceeds in income-producing assets. For the rest of your life, the trust pays you an income. When you die, the remaining trust assets go to the charity(ies) you have chosen. That’s why it’s called a charitable remainder trust.
Consult your financial advisor or accountant if you would like to donate to OCA through a CRT.