Here’s a question: Have you ever thought of donating to your
archaeological society?
A donation can be of your time. It can also be a financial donation.
Either will be of great benefit. A time donation will be extremely helpful,
as there are always more
things to accomplish than there are volunteers. A financial
donation will help guarantee the future of your society,
and can also gain you a federal tax deduction.
Donating your time and effort can take the form of
assisting at shows, such as addressing newsletters, filling
out membership cards etc. For example, helping with the
organization of a show can take a time consuming task for
one person and minimize it by spreading the work among
many. The end result is those who run the show will not burn out from work overload, and everyone will be willing
to help with the show the next year. Most shows have
many positions to fill that need not take up an entire day.
Examples would include working the lunch counter, manning
attendance ticket sales or judging displays for awards
Donating your time can take the form of being an
officer, either for your state society or perhaps the Central
States. Many of the officer positions are held by a person
for just one year. Usually these require just a few hours a
month in order to accomplish the tasks designated for it.
In many societies, an individual can hold several officer positions over
the years. The Central States has many volunteer
opportunities beyond the main positions of President,
Vice President, Treasurer, Business Manager and Secretary.
While officers at this level are mandated by the society
bylaws to specific terms, other positions are open-ended.
The publication and finance committee is one example. You
can inquire of any Central States officer of a position that
you feel you have skills for. If a position is open, you can
start anytime of the year. Otherwise the term begins with
an appointment at the annual meeting, usually held in
March.
Cash and other funding donations can go a long way
towards the financial health of the CSASI. Cash donations
to a specific state society may or may not be federally
tax deductible, depending on if the state society is a
non-profit 501(C3) structure. The CSASI is a non-profit
501(C3), thus donations to this body do qualify for a
federal tax deduction. Donations can be via check to the
Business Manager (find the mailing address on the CSASI
web site http://csasi.org/csasi_officers_current.htm or in
the back of the Journal.) Donations can also be made from the web site using
PayPal or credit card. This process uses a secure layer to assure your information
is kept confidential. Donations here can be in the $10.00, $25.00, $50.00,
$75.00, or $100.00 denominations.
The federal tax deduction only applies to Schedule A. To utilize the Schedule
A, you must have a higher total deduction than the IRS standard deduction.
If this is the case, your donation reduces your "income level,” resulting
in a reduction of your actual tax paid. Consult a tax adviser or see the
IRS web site (http://www.irs.gov/) for additional information.
A donation can also take place during estate planning. The CSASI can be
designated as a beneficiary. Most retirement plans and insurance policies
have standard forms for naming an institution as a beneficiary. Another option
is naming the CSASI as beneficiary of funds in your will. You can guarantee
your hobby and this organization a stable future.
An example of this kind of giving can be seen though
the actions of the widow of the founder of McDonalds,
Joan Kroc. She was a listener-supporter of National Public
Radio (NPR). She made a donation in the huge amount
of $200 Million. This was to insure the viability of an institution she and
her husband thought highly of. As of this
writing this donation is believed to be the largest monetary
gift ever received by an American cultural institution. Obviously
your donation doesn’t have to be this large, but it
shows the power and value of giving.
Support from donors who value the CSASI is essential
to CSASI's long-term financial health and to
the fulfillment of its mission. This mission states in
part: We endeavor to develop a better understanding
among students and collectors of archaeological
materials, professionals and non-professionals, as well
as museums and institutions of higher learning, and to
further understanding by providing a means to publish
articles of interest to both professional and amateur archaeologists.
All CSASI operating revenue comes from a portion of
state society memberships, sales of journals and donations.
So a financial contribution, large or small, will make difference!
Donating your time or money will elevate your collecting
experience. If you doubt this, ask any officer or someone
who has donated. The rewards for contributing and
involvement are great, and will provide added enjoyment
to hobby you love.
Donate to CSASI and receive a income tax deduction!
Remember the CSASI in your estate planning!
