How to Donate Stock, Wire Transfers, ACH and Checks to Africa: A Guide for US Donors

Not every donor wants to give by card. Instead, many prefer to donate stock to Africa, send a wire transfer or ACH payment, or mail a check. These methods are especially common for larger gifts. This guide explains how each one works, what to know about taxes and timing, and how to direct your gift to a cause in Africa.

We'll show how to give this way to GiveToAfrica, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 27-3982730. Whatever method you use, your gift is recorded against the cause you choose, and you receive a field report on what it achieved.

This guide is general information, not tax or investment advice. Please check the details with your broker, bank and tax adviser.

Why donate stock or give by bank transfer

Different methods suit different gifts. For instance, donating appreciated stock can be one of the most tax-efficient ways to give. Meanwhile, bank transfers avoid card processing fees on large gifts, so more of your money reaches the cause.

Similarly, some donors simply prefer the methods they already use for bills and investments. Therefore, it makes sense to give the way that works best for you.

For example, a retired couple might donate stock once a year, while a young professional might prefer a monthly card gift. Most importantly, the method doesn't change where the money goes. Every gift follows the published budget for the cause you choose. You can read how we work and why we send field reports.

Why give to GiveToAfrica

GiveToAfrica is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 27-3982730. Consequently, gifts from US donors are generally tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. You can confirm our registration in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.

Furthermore, every cause on our site shows its budget, targets and gift amounts before you give. For example, the scholarships page shows that 55% of the budget pays tuition and fees directly to the school or university. As a result, you can see exactly how a large gift would be used.

Our Services: seven ways to give beyond a card

Here are seven ways US donors give to Africa without using a card, and how each works with GiveToAfrica.

Donating appreciated stock

If you have held a stock for more than a year and it has risen in value, donating it directly can be very tax-efficient. In general, you avoid capital gains tax on the increase, and you may deduct the stock's fair market value, subject to IRS limits.

For example, imagine shares you bought for $2,000 are now worth $10,000. If you sell them and donate the cash, you may owe capital gains tax on $8,000 first. By contrast, if you donate the shares directly, the full $10,000 can reach the cause.

To give stock to GiveToAfrica, please contact us before you start. We will tell you whether we can accept a direct transfer, and give your broker the details needed. Alternatively, see the donor-advised fund route below.

Donating mutual funds and ETFs

Mutual funds and ETFs can be donated in much the same way as individual stocks. However, mutual fund transfers can take longer, sometimes several weeks. Therefore, start early, especially near year-end.

Giving stock through a donor-advised fund

If a charity can't receive stock directly, a donor-advised fund is an easy workaround. First, you give the stock to your DAF. Next, the DAF sells it without capital gains tax. Then you recommend a cash grant to GiveToAfrica, EIN 27-3982730.

Consequently, you get the same tax benefits of giving appreciated stock, and we receive a simple cash grant. Read our full guide to donating to Africa with a donor-advised fund.

Wire transfers for large gifts

A wire transfer moves money quickly and securely from your bank to ours. As a result, wires are common for gifts of several thousand dollars or more.

To send a wire, contact us first. We will give you our bank details directly and confirm them with you. Please never rely on bank details sent in an unexpected email, even if it appears to come from us. Fraudsters often target large transfers this way.

ACH bank transfers

An ACH transfer is a lower-cost bank-to-bank payment, widely used in the United States. When bank transfer is available, it appears as a payment method on our donation page. You then receive our bank details and a unique reference by email.

Once the transfer arrives, we match it using your reference, mark the gift as received and send your receipt. If bank transfer isn't shown on the form, contact us and we'll help.

Mailing a check

Some donors still prefer to write a check, especially for gifts made through a family trust or foundation. If you would like to mail a check, please contact us and we will send our mailing address.

Include a note with the cause you want to support, such as "wells and boreholes", and your email address so we can send your receipt quickly. Once the check clears, we record it against that cause and send your receipt.

Gifts from a family foundation

Family foundations often give by check or wire. Similarly, they may need documents, such as a copy of our IRS determination letter, before making a grant. Contact us and we will provide what your foundation needs.

Step by step: how to donate stock to Africa

Here is the usual process to donate stock to Africa through GiveToAfrica. It takes a little planning, but each step is simple.

1. Contact us. Email info@givetoafrica.net with the stock, the approximate number of shares and the cause you want to fund.
2. Get the transfer details. We confirm how the shares should be transferred and send the details your broker needs.
3. Instruct your broker. Ask your broker to transfer the shares, not to sell them first.
4. Tell us when it is sent. Brokers often don't pass on the donor's name, so let us know the date and number of shares.
5. Receive your acknowledgement. Once the shares arrive, we send a written acknowledgement describing the gift.

After that, the gift is recorded against your chosen cause, and you receive the field reports like any other donor.

What your receipt shows

Receipts differ slightly by method. For cash gifts by wire, ACH or check, your receipt shows the amount received. For stock, the acknowledgement describes the shares, such as the company and number of shares, and confirms you received nothing in return.

In general, you or your adviser then determine the value of the stock on the date of the gift, for your tax return. For large or unusual assets, an appraisal may also be needed.

Comparing the methods at a glance

Each method has its strengths. Stock gifts are usually the most tax-efficient for long-held shares that have grown. However, they take the longest to arrange.

Wire transfers are fast and suit large cash gifts. Meanwhile, ACH transfers cost little and suit regular or mid-sized gifts. Checks are familiar and suit gifts from trusts and family foundations, although they are the slowest to clear.

Finally, card gifts on our donation page are the quickest of all, and they can be set up monthly. Therefore, many donors give by card during the year and donate stock once a year for their largest gift.

Choosing a cause for a larger gift

Larger gifts can fund substantial pieces of work. Here are examples from our current budgets.

Funding a complete project

For instance, about $12,000 funds a new drilled borehole serving around 500 people through wells and boreholes. Similarly, about $15,000 builds a complete classroom through school construction.

Funding a year of running costs

Alternatively, some donors fund a year of running costs. For example, $3,000 installs solar power for a rural clinic through medical clinics, and $1,800 funds a year of in-class coaching for a whole school's teachers through teacher training.

Funding people through school

Meanwhile, a full year of secondary school costs about $1,100 through scholarships. Consequently, a single stock gift can put several students through a school year.

For any gift of several thousand dollars, please contact us first. That way, we can plan the project with you and make sure it is reported clearly.

Stock gifts and US taxes: what to know

Here are the main tax points for stock gifts. Your adviser can confirm how they apply to you.

Holding period matters

If you have held the stock for more than one year, your deduction is generally its fair market value. However, if you have held it for a year or less, your deduction is generally limited to what you paid for it.

Annual limits

Deductions for gifts of appreciated property to public charities are generally limited to 30% of your adjusted gross income in a year. Any excess can usually be carried forward for up to five years.

Don't donate stock that has lost value

If a stock has fallen in value, it is usually better to sell it, claim the loss, and donate the cash. Otherwise, you lose the benefit of the loss.

2026 changes

From 2026, itemised charitable deductions only count above 0.5% of your adjusted gross income. Meanwhile, non-itemizers can deduct up to $1,000 of cash gifts ($2,000 for married couples), but not gifts of stock (TurboTax). Therefore, talk to your adviser about which method suits you.

Giving employer stock and vested RSUs

Many employees hold shares from restricted stock units (RSUs) or an employee stock purchase plan. Once shares have vested and been held for more than a year, they can generally be donated like any other stock.

However, the tax rules for employer shares can be complicated. For example, RSUs are taxed as income when they vest, so the holding period starts then. Therefore, check with your adviser before you give employer stock, especially if you hold shares from several grants.

In addition, some employers match gifts of stock, not only cash. Consequently, it is worth checking your company's matching programme first. See our company giving page for how matching works with us.

Donors outside the United States

We also welcome bank transfers from donors in the UK, Canada, Europe and Australia. For smaller gifts, our donation page accepts pounds, euros, Canadian and Australian dollars. For larger transfers, contact us for bank details.

Please note that US tax deductions apply to US taxpayers who itemize or qualify for the new non-itemizer deduction. If you pay tax elsewhere, deductibility depends on your own country's rules, so check with a local adviser.

Timing: year-end deadlines

For a gift to count in a tax year, it must be completed by December 31. However, each method completes differently.

A stock gift generally counts on the date the shares arrive in the charity's account, not the date you instruct your broker. Similarly, a wire counts when it is sent, and a mailed check generally counts on the date it is postmarked.

Consequently, stock transfers are the slowest to arrange. We suggest starting stock gifts by early December, and mutual fund gifts even earlier.

In addition, each cause has its own funding window, shown as a live countdown on its page. If you want your gift to reach a particular cause this round, give before that date.

Giving by stock or bank transfer across the United States

Donors give this way from every state. Still, some communities stand out.

New York and the financial world

From Wall Street to Midtown, many New Yorkers hold appreciated stock and give it every year. Consequently, stock gifts are common among Northeast donors, who often fund scholarships and school construction.

Silicon Valley and Seattle

Many technology workers in the Bay Area and Seattle hold company stock from equity awards. As a result, they often donate shares, sometimes through a DAF, to fund books and computers and whole projects.

Texas and the Sun Belt

Business owners in Houston, Dallas and across the Sun Belt often give after selling a business or a strong year. Similarly, many fund complete projects, such as boreholes or classrooms.

Family foundations nationwide

Family foundations in Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta and beyond often give by check or wire. Many support orphan care and maternal and child health.

Protecting yourself from payment fraud

Payment fraud often targets large gifts. Therefore, please follow three simple rules.

First, always confirm bank details by phone or through our contact form before sending a wire. Second, never trust a message that changes bank details at the last minute. Third, if anything seems unusual, pause and contact us.

For a wider checklist on choosing a trustworthy charity, read how to choose a charity working in Africa.

Contact GiveToAfrica about stock, wire and check gifts

We accept gifts from donors in all 50 US states and worldwide. For stock, wire, ACH or check gifts, email info@givetoafrica.net, use our contact form, or tap the WhatsApp button on this page. We reply within two working days. See our privacy policy and terms.

Frequently asked questions

Can I donate stock to help Africa?

Yes. Contact us first and we will explain how to transfer shares to GiveToAfrica, or you can give stock to a donor-advised fund and recommend a grant to us using EIN 27-3982730.

Why is donating stock better than selling it first?

If you have held the stock for more than a year, donating it directly generally avoids capital gains tax, and you may deduct its full market value. Selling first can mean paying tax on the gain before you give.

How do I send a wire transfer to GiveToAfrica?

Contact us and we will give you our bank details directly. Always confirm details with us before sending, and never rely on bank details sent in an unexpected email.

Can I mail a check?

Yes. Contact us for our mailing address, and include a note naming the cause you want to support. We send your receipt once the check clears.

When do stock gifts count for tax purposes?

Generally, a stock gift counts on the date the shares arrive in the charity's account. Transfers can take days or weeks, so start early, especially in December.

Ready to give?

Choose a cause from all 38 causes, then contact our team to arrange a stock, wire or check gift. For smaller gifts, you can also give online in a few minutes. Our complete guide on how to donate to Africa covers every other option.