An Investment in Democracy

Your gifts directly fund San José Spotlight’s community newsroom and help ensure that we will continue to provide you with unbiased, independent news in the future.

San José Spotlight is approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the full extent provided by law.

EIN: 82-5355128

 

Ways to Give

Make a one-time or recurring gift online

Checks or Wire Transfer

Make checks payable to San Jose News Bureau and mail to: 1900 Camden Avenue, Suite 101, San Jose, CA 95124

Call (408) 829-4476 or email [email protected] for wire transfer instructions.

Vehicle Donation

Do you have an unused car, boat, recreational vehicle, or motorcycle but do not want to deal with selling it? Why not give it to San José Spotlight via Donate for Charity, and help power your community newsroom!

Donate for Charity will arrange a free pickup for the vehicle, manage the DMV requirements, sell it at auction, and distribute the net proceeds to San José Spotlight. You will receive a receipt for your gift.

Click here to donate your vehicle to San José Spotlight today!

AmazonSmile

  1. Click on the logo at right or copy and paste this link: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/82-5355128
  2. Log in to your personal Amazon account
  3. Look for the San Jose News Bureau banner at the top of your screen
  4. Bookmark smile.amazon.com on your computer
  5. Complete all future purchases at Amazon Smile, and 0.5% of each purchase will automatically be donated to San José Spotlight

Gifts In-Kind

Our ability to accept in-kind gifts depends on the type of gift. Please call (408) 829-4476 or email [email protected] for information.

Planned Giving

It is a win-win when you learn how to leverage your financial resources to benefit your favorite nonprofit organization(s). Types of planned gifts may include:

  • Stocks/Securities
    You can enjoy an additional tax benefit AND increase your gift to San José Spotlight by donating long-term appreciated stock instead of cash. For general info, click here.
    To arrange for a gift of stock, please have your broker call (408) 829-4476 or email [email protected].
  • Retirement plan distributions
    By giving to San José Spotlight through your retirement plan (including IRAs, TSAs, 401(k)s, or 403(b)s), either during or after your lifetime, you can enjoy different tax benefits. General information on this subject can be found here.
  • Bequests
    Your will or living trust can include gifts to San José Spotlight in the form of cash, securities or personal property. You may contribute a defined dollar amount, specific assets (like cars or stocks) or a percentage of your total estate. Your estate will receive a charitable deduction for the full donation, so your heirs will not pay estate tax on these assets.
  • Charitable Gift Annuity
    A charitable gift annuity is a simple contract between you and San José Spotlight that allows you to make a significant gift to our benefit while receiving fixed payments for life, regardless of the economic climate. The annuities simultaneously provide a charitable donation, a partial income tax deduction for the donation and a guaranteed lifetime income stream to the annuitant and sometimes a spouse or other beneficiary.
  • Charitable Remainder Trust
    A Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) is a gift of cash or other property to an irrevocable trust. You receive an income stream from the trust for a term of years or for life—plus an immediate income tax charitable deduction when the CRT is funded based on the present value of the assets—and San José Spotlight receives the remaining trust assets at the end of the trust term.
  • Charitable Lead Trust
    When you create a charitable lead trust and name San José Spotlight as an income beneficiary of the trust, the charitable lead trust will make regular income tax-deductible gifts to us for a term of years. When the trust terminates, the entire principal is returned to you or to your designee.
  • Life Insurance Donations
    Here are three ways you can donate a life insurance policy to San José Spotlight: 

    • Take out a new policy in our name. You’ll receive a charitable tax receipt for the cash value of the policy and for any premiums you pay.
    • Name us as the beneficiary of an existing policy. This is a good option if you already have a policy that your family no longer needs for financial stability. At the time of your death, the charity will receive the policy proceeds and your estate will receive the tax benefits.
    • Transfer ownership of an existing policy to us and receive a charitable tax receipt for the cash value of the policy. If you owe annual premiums on the policy, you’ll still pay them, but you’ll also receive tax receipts in the amount of your payments.
  • Retained Life Estates
    A retained life estate allows you to deed property to San José Spotlight and reserve the right to live in or use the property for a term of years or life. Rights and responsibilities between you and San José Spotlight must be documented in a life estate agreement.

Planned giving information has been prepared for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. If you are interested in exploring how any of the above ways to give might work for you, we recommend that you speak to a financial planning specialist with expertise in charitable giving.