Charitable donations of goods are a tax deduction, some car mileage is too. The business mileage rate, however, is more than 4 times the tiny charitable mileage rate, which impacts millions.
Our mission at VolunteerSpot is to make volunteering easier for everyone, to get rid of the little hassles that make it harder for more people to sign up and help. Congress sets a tiny 14-cent per mile rate for charitable driving, this can force some people to stop volunteering. That's why we are working together with organizations and individuals everywhere who care about volunteers to fix the charitable mileage rate -- with a #TinyCars approach.
Please watch this quick video:
Gas prices are soaring! This directly affects the good work of non-profits everywhere, prohibiting volunteers from being able to afford to help. Read more on the high gas price issue in the news and how we can help change the charitable mileage reimbursement rate!
- Fox News: York Non-Profit Feeling the Effects of High Gas Prices (2/23/2012)
- Fox News: Non-profits feeling impact of high gas prices (2/27/2012)
- ABC News: Gas prices put the squeeze on non-profits (2/29/2012)
Join us to create a unified voice on the charitable mileage rate issue.
Step 1: Spread the Word
Share the message everywhere - email, blog, newsletter, pinterest, twitter, facebook.
Please always link to bit.ly/TinyCars (this page)
Twitter: Please schedule any of these sample tweets or write your own using hashtag #TinyCars and linking to this post at bit.ly/TinyCars :
Non-profits feeling impact of high gas prices; Will Congress fix the tax law hurting them? bit.ly/TinyCars #TinyCars
"Non-profits impacted by high gas prices" Will Congress fix the tax law hurting them? bit.ly/TinyCars #TinyCars
Gas 1997: $1.30 vs Gas 2012: $3.75 - Big Change, Yet Volunteer still just 14 cents/mile? bit.ly/TinyCars #TinyCars
Volunteers have Big Hearts NOT #TinyCars. Plz watch this (fun) video & share bit.ly/TinyCars
I'm joining @VolunteerSpot to fix the tiny 14 cent #volunteer mileage rate; learn more and share bit.ly/TinyCars #TinyCars
Hey Congress, #TinyCars aren't good for volunteering! Pls watch and share this video: bit.ly/TinyCars
Time to Help Drive More Good - Congress Shouldn't Make #Volunteering Unaffordable bit.ly/TinyCars #TinyCars
Use the following twitter template to have different volunteers explain what they can’t do in Tiny Cars:
- Congress: School volunteers can't rebuild playgrounds in #TinysCars - fix the tiny mileage rate bit.ly/TinyCars
- Congress: I help feed the hungry in my community and I can't drive meals in #TinyCars - fix the tiny mileage rate bit.ly/TinyCars
- Congress: Volunteer Firefighters can't carry equipment to brush fires in #TinysCars - fix the tiny mileage rate bit.ly/TinyCars
- Congress: Animal rescuers can't move animals to adoption events in #TinysCars - fix the tiny mileage rate bit.ly/TinyCars
Step 2: Tell Congress This Issue Matters via Non-Partisan PopVox
Congress Needs to See Public Input on the mileage rate issue - Encourage visible support for the mileage rate increase by using non-partisan PopVox to show Congress people care about this issue.
A bi-partisan bill HR 387 "Charitable Driving Tax Relief Act of 2011", sponsored by Rep Tom Petri (R-WI), Rep Donald Payne (D-NJ) and Rep John Duncan (R-TN), is the focus of our #TinyCars support. Nonprofits especially should register as organizations and show their support.
Read more Background on the Volunteer Mileage Tax Rate Discrepancy and Consequences:
"Could Stagnant mileage deduction drive volunteers away?" - MinnPost
American Institute of CPAs Calls for Increase to Charitable Mileage - SmartMoney
Volunteer Mileage Issue Overview - National Council of Nonprofits
Volunteer Mileage Talking Points - National Council of Nonprofits
Volunteer Mileage Rate Overview - Independent Sector
Sample Meals on Wheels volunteering statistics -Meals on Wheels of Northampton County, PA
Becky Stovall, Meals on Wheels Volunteer, discusses impact of high gas prices - USAToday
"High gas prices hit charities hard" - Marketplace, NPR/PRI
Volunteers Should Not Be Second-Class Taxpayers
Is the Rising Cost of Gas a Crisis or an Opportunity for Volunteering ...
VolunteerSpot's Summary of the charitable mileage rate issue:
Volunteers can't deliver meals to seniors, mentor kids, rescue animals, rebuild homes or respond to disasters in #TinyCars, yet Congress offers just a tiny 14 cents a mile tax deduction or allowable tax-free reimbursement for volunteers putting charitable mileage on their cars. Unlike the business mileage rate, the charitable mileage rate is controlled solely by Congress, which set it in 1997 when gas cost $1.30 per gallon.
The actual mileage rate (what volunteers really spend) is more like 50 cents spent per mile donating their critical services. With hard times squeezing personal budgets everywhere, some volunteers have been forced to make the difficult choice to stop donating their time when it requires driving. The limited mileage deduction and mileage reimbursement allowed by Congress makes helping others unaffordable. By contrast, the 2011 business rate is set at 55.5 cents for the second half of 2011. It seems like Congress thinks Volunteers drive #TinyCars.
Thank you for joining us in support and celebration of America’s Volunteers!
~ Team VolunteerSpot
About VolunteerSpot:
With more than 1.2 million volunteers in service, VolunteerSpot is the leading FREE online coordination tool that lets ANYONE schedule, sign up and remind volunteers at school and in their communities. We understand and applaud the investments of time, energy, and donations Volunteers everywhere willingly give - and everything we do is created to help them.
