Ways to Give
to Community Church of Sebastopol
How to Give
To help provide you with options for giving that best match your needs, you may give in any of the following ways:
Online Donation (Monthly Recurring or One Time)
You can make a monthly recurring gift or a one-time gift using our secure gift processing system through Realm on the website here: uccseb.org/realm
Telephone
You may give us a call the Office at (707) 823-2484 and make a gift over the phone.
Checks
To make a gift by check, mail your check made payable to Community Church of Sebastopol, 1000 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472. Please include a note with any information you would like us to know about your gift.
Monthly Bank Draft (EFT)
Have your gifts automatically drafted each month from your bank account (this is sometimes called bill pay). You can make a recurring monthly gift from your checking or savings account. The deductions appear automatically on your bank statement. An initial email is sent by the church to acknowledge your recurring gift. Call the church office at (707) 823-2484 if you need support.
Monthly Credit/Debit Card
You can make a monthly recurring gift from your credit or debit card. Notify the church office at (707) 823-2484 about your intended credit card gift. Note that the church pays a transaction fee on all credit card donations, so this is not the preferred way to make your gift.
Qualified Charitable Distributions
Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD) are another tax-smart way to give for those over 70 ½ years old. A QCD will count toward satisfying your required minimum distribution (RMD), and neither you nor the church will have to pay income taxes on this distribution. If you are 70 ½ years or older, pre-tax money saved in an IRA can be an ideal charitable donation. You can use a QCD whether or not you itemize deductions on your tax return. However, it is important to note that if you use this strategy, the distribution cannot be included as an itemized deduction.
Contact your financial advisor and/or tax preparer to discuss this option and whether it is right for you. Your financial institution where your IRA is invested will send the QCD check directly to the church. Note it is your responsibility to let your tax preparer know you have made a gift via QCD. It will not be shown on your 1099-R. PLEASE NOTE: When gifts are received in our office, donor information is sometimes not clear on the check. In order to acknowledge your gift properly, please give us a call to alert us of your QCD gift.call us at {Phone} or email us at {email} to alert us that your gift is coming and how you would like it to be used.
Securities
Making a direct gift of appreciated stocks, mutual funds or other securities is often a more tax efficient way to give to the church than writing a check. By donating stock that has appreciated for more than a year, you are potentially avoiding capital gains taxes. You are also potentially eligible to deduct the full fair-market value of the asset you donated from your income taxes, up to the overall amount allowed by the IRS. Gifts of stock may be completed by electronic transfer.
How to make a gift of stock or mutual fund shares to Community Church of Sebastopol:
Step 1: Ask your financial advisor to identify the appropriate shares to donate.
Step 2: Email us the following information to ensure we can match your stock transfer to your intended gift since the shares will be transferred to the church’s account without note as to who/where they are from.
Your name – Stocks being gifted – Number of shares – Date you initiated the transfer
Step 3: Your institution transfers ownership of the stock to Community Church after your verbal authorization. Ask your financial institution/advisor to contact the following to handle the transfer: Aleia Coate, Edward Jones, (707) 634-7512. NOTE: When Edward Jones receives a stock transfer the donor’s name is not visible. IMPORTANT: In order to properly acknowledge your gift, we ask you email the Office at office@sebucc.org and let us know.
Step 4: The church’s financial advisor reports to the church the value of the shares when received and the church will issue you a donation receipt.
Step 5: Provide your tax preparer the gift receipt/acknowledgement for the name and number of shares of stock you gifted and the cost basis information of those shares.
Estate Gift
You may make an estate gift (gift of assets after you pass away) through your will, retirement assets, or life insurance. You can include the Community Church of Sebastopol in your will, trust, or as the beneficiary of a retirement account or life insurance. We recommend talking to your financial advisor about your current financial situation, the combination of assets in your portfolio and the amount you wish to leave to loved ones all determine the best method for leaving an estate gift to the Community Church of Sebastopol.
The simplest way to make an estate gift is to simply include the Community Church of Sebastopol, 1000 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472, EIN number 94-2701408. as a percentage-based beneficiary on an IRA, other retirement account, or life insurance policy. This type of gift can be updated anytime without lawyer fees to update your will. For assistance with this process, call the office and we’ll be glad to help you.
For anyone leaving an estate gift, even a small amount, you are eligible to be recognized as a member of our Giving Club, so please let the church office know about your intended gift(s).
Real Estate
Make a gift of real estate.Real estate gifts include assets such as your principal home, a vacation home, commercial buildings, and unimproved land. The gift of real estate can provide a significant tax benefit to you, and your tax advisor can help answer those specific questions as each case is different. To make a gift of real estate please contact the church office at office@uccseb.org or (707) 823-2484.
Boost Your Gift Amount
with Corporate Matching Gifts
Increase your gift’s impact through your employer’s matching-gift program. Check with your company to see if they offer a matching gift program. Matching gifts from your employer will be credited to your total giving record with the church. In order to acknowledge your gift properly please send us a note or email at office@uccseb.org so we know to look for the matching gift.
Endowment Giving
Endowing a gift of any kind for the future provides sustainability for today and in perpetuity. Current or estate gifts may be endowed to the church and there are a number of ways to do this. You can make a donation of any size into our Endowment.
To make an endowed gift please contact us at (707) 823-2484 to discuss your wishes and intentions so that we might gather the appropriate documentation from you.
Memorial or Honor Gifts
Make a gift in honor or memory of someone. If you are considering this type of gift, we encourage you to call the church office for support in making your gift. If you wish for us to notify the honoree or the family of the person you are giving in memory of, please include the correct name and address of the recipient.
If you’d like to include the Community Church of Sebastopol in an obituary announcement, we recommend the following verbiage that may be personalized for your needs:
Memorial contributions may be made to the Community Church of Sebastopol. Please direct your gift to “where needed most” in memory of (your loved one’s name). Gifts may be made online at uccseb.org/realm, by phone at (707) 823-2484 or by mail: 1000 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
Contact Us
707.823.2484
office@uccseb.org
