There are many ways to integrate charitable giving into your financial planning to make a meaningful difference. For those who itemize deductions, giving before the end of the year is a window of opportunity which may help maximize both your impact and your tax benefits, especially as some deduction limits are expected to decrease in the years ahead. OBBBA increased the standard deduction in 2025 and your itemized charitable deductions are subject to a “floor” and cap starting in 2026.
The Community Foundation for Monterey County can help you customize a solution that works for you. Be sure to make your gifts by the deadlines (below) for a 2026 deduction.
You can give to causes you care about while gaining maximum tax benefit.”
5 Options to Consider for Year-End Giving
1) LEVERAGE YOUR GIFT THROUGH MONTEREY COUNTY GIVES! 11/12 – 12/31/2026
Leverage your year-end giving to your choice of more than 200 participating nonprofits through the Monterey County Gives! campaign. Each donation receives a percentage match. The campaign runs from November 12 through midnight, December 31, 2026.
TIP: You can make a gift of stock or IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution for Monterey County Gives!
You can make a single tax-wise gift to the CFMC and list the participating nonprofits you wish to support.
Monterey County Gives! is a special project of the Monterey County Weekly, the Community Foundation for Monterey County and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation.
This is a great way to claim a tax deduction now for supporting your favorite charities over time. Donor advised funds can be created quickly and easily with a gift of $5,000 or more. And, with a gift of appreciated stock or mutual funds, you avoid paying capital gains tax on the sale of the stock and receive an immediate charitable income tax deduction for the full value of the asset.
TIP: “Bundle” your giving with a DAF
Some donors opt to bunch or “front load” their giving. This means donating two- or three-years’ worth of giving at one time into a DAF, claiming the charitable deduction that year, and then waiting to donate again while claiming the standard deduction. You can make the donation to your DAF in the first year and continue to support your favorite causes in future years from the DAF.
TIP: Explore a wide variety of fund types
In addition to donor advised funds, you can establish field of interest funds, designated funds, unrestricted funds or scholarship funds. Contact us to explore which fund types best meet your giving goals.
3) GIFTS OF REAL ESTATE OR APPRECIATED STOCK
A gift of real estate or appreciated stock are a good options to benefit the nonprofit with a direct gift and benefit the donor with an income tax deduction and capital gains tax savings.
TIP: Stocks vs Cash – A Tax-Savvy Way to Give
Gifts of long-term appreciated stock to your donor advised or other fund at the CFMC is always one of the most tax-savvy ways to support your favorite charitable causes. As opposed to selling the stock and donating cash, capital gains tax can be avoided by donating the stock directly to the CFMC.
4) LIFE-INCOME GIFTS: CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUSTS & CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES
Both offer immediate tax deductions and income for life (a portion of which is tax free). The remainder creates a fund to benefit any nonprofit you choose.
TIP: Compare Different Options
The CFMC team can run sample scenarios for you. You can also compare giving options with our gift calculator.
5) IRA QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTIONS (QCD)
If you are 70 1/2 or older, you can make a gift from your IRA account to the CFMC to benefit your favorite nonprofits. Gifts made from your IRA (up to $111,000 per year in 2026) are not taxable income. If you are married, your spouse can also make a gift of up to $111,000 from their IRA, for a total of $222,000. If you are 73 or older in the year of the distribution, your gift qualifies towards your Required Minimum Distribution.Â
You can contribute to the CFMC for an agency, field of interest or special fund such as the Fund for Monterey County (grantmaking endowment) or Monterey County Gives. Gifts to donor advised funds are not eligible.Â
TIP: You can make a gift to the CMFC to benefit one or more nonprofits anytime AND/OR direct it to Monterey County Gives! during the campaign to receive a partial match. Your IRA QCD through Monterey County Gives! can benefit multiple nonprofits with one set of instructions. Please see deadlines below and contact us for details.
2026 Year-End Giving deadlines
Please contact the CFMC team for any questions about when transactions must occur to be legally completed during this tax year.
- IRA QCDs should be sent to the CFMC no later than December 4 as they must clear the donor’s custodial account by Thursday, December 31, 2026 .
Please confirm with the manager of your custodial account before making the gift as the CFMC receipt date may not qualify as the IRS gift date. - The last day for 2026 grant recommendations from donor advised funds: 9 a.m. Monday, December 21, 2026.
- New donor advised funds can be established by Thursday, December 31, 2026.
- Gifts of stocks must be received in CFMC accounts by Thursday, December 31, 2026.
- Real estate and partnerships assets must have title transferred or assigned on or before Thursday, December 31, 2026.
(County recorder’s office will close at 12 noon with their last recording at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 31, 2026) - Gifts sent to the CFMC must be postmarked no later than December 31.
- Credit card gifts must be made before 12 midnight Thursday, December 31.
Attn: CFMC Donor Advised Fund Holders
To ensure that your year-end grants are sent out by December 31, the deadline for recommending grants is 9 a.m. Monday, December 21, 2026.
To make a gift to an organization through Monterey County Gives!, you can recommend a grant from your Donor Advised Fund on the Donor Portal. Click on “Recommend a Grant” and select the button “I would like to make a grant to MC Gives” and choose the organization you would like to support. Visit the Donor Portal to recommend your grant or contact your Philanthropic Services Officer.
HERE FOR GOOD CAMPAIGN
A great way to make an impact this year is to contribute to the CFMCs Here for Good campaign. Your support allows the CFMC to serve as a community leader, respond to disasters such as wildfires and flooding, help our neighbors thrive and strengthen local nonprofit leaders and organizations.
Join former CFMC Board Chair Bertie Elliott in making a lasting impact. Her generous $100,000 gift to the Here for Good Fund means your donation goes even further to support our mission. All donors (unless anonymous) will be listed on our website. Those who give $1,000 or more will be included in our Annual Report. Please contact us at 831.375.9712 if you would like to make a gift of stock or IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution.
CFMC Holiday Closure Schedule
- Thursday, November 26 and Friday, 27, 2026
- Thursday, December 24 and Friday, 25, 2026
- Friday, January 1, 2027
All other days we will be available to serve you during regular business hours 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
CONTACT US
Partnering with the CFMC can simplify your giving. We invite you to contact our team at 831.375.9712 to explore giving options.