Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2021 December 16

= December 16 =

Donation suggestion
Hello, just offering a suggestion about your donation ask. Consider a structure where individuals can donate in their own currency/own jurisdiction. Yes, it's more complicated, and requires setting up "subsidiaries" worldwide. But right now non-US individuals have a disincentive to donate to your worthwhile cause - they effectively receive no donation credit. Take me, a Canadian. Unless I have US income to apply the US-based donation credit to, I can't use it. And since you have readers worldwide, and the majority of the world's population (I'm assuming) earn income in only one country (not the US), you run into a problem.

I've been practicing, studying, and researching tax for a long-time. Humans can be altruistic, but they're also practical. Given the choice between "donating" without a credit, and donating with a credit, most will choose the latter (and thus send their money somewhere else).

You provide a great service, and get a small uptake of individuals donating. Why not try and stack the deck in your favor?

Good luck,

Andrew — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2607:FEA8:1CDD:7F00:DD41:7C5F:748E:1093 (talk) 15:45, 16 December 2021 (UTC)
 * See for how to donate in currencies other than US Dollar.  Suggestions and comments on the donation process should go to donate@wikimedia.org RudolfRed (talk) 17:05, 16 December 2021 (UTC)
 * This is indeed not the spot to discuss this, but the point of the suggestion is not about the currency, but about the possibility for donors to claim a tax credit for donations to charities or other nonprofit institutions serving the common good. The International Red Cross is formally a federation of national societies. If there is a disaster anywhere in the world for which the International Committee of the Red Cross decides relief should be offered, each donor can give their donation to their national society, thereby making them tax deductible in many taxation jurisdictions. The national societies serve as a conduit from the donors to the internationally managed relief fund. --Lambiam 22:14, 16 December 2021 (UTC)


 * Apparently the relevant structure already exists: see List of Wikimedia chapters.  The original poster may wish to look here for information on donating to the Canadian entity. --184.144.97.160 (talk) 06:51, 17 December 2021 (UTC)