Charities tend to have fairly standard policies for accepting vehicle donations. First, contact the charity for applications, which they may mail or you can access online. Charities require the title to the vehicle, and cannot accept a vehicle that has a lien. If you need to request a duplicate title, it may take two weeks to receive it in the mail. If your vehicle does not run, it must be parked where a tow truck can reach it. Some charities have policies to tow donated vehicles, regardless of whether they still run. Inform the charity if there are any major parts broken or missing, because the defects will affect the value of your donation and possibly whether the charity can accept it. Expect to receive a tax receipt after one or two months.


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Charity watchdog groups like Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org) encourage donors to check a charity's financial welfare when donating. Before making vehicle donations, ask how much of the charity's overall budget goes to direct services and programs, and how much is for administrative costs. Look for charities that spend three-quarters of their budget on direct programs and services. Find out the portion of proceeds from vehicle donation that go to charitable causes versus how much is spent on processing fees for car donations.


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When making vehicle donations or conducting other types of charitable giving, find out about the organization's policies on disclosing information on donors. Many charities have donor privacy policies, refusing to sell or disclose information about the individuals who give to them. Before making vehicle donations, it's a smart idea to learn whether the charity sells or shares the donor's contact information. If the charity does -- and you are uncomfortable with the policy -- ask for your personal information to be kept off the lists it sells or shares with outside groups.


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Are you new to vehicle donations? Did you read about vehicle donations in an advertisement? Or, do you know someone who has donated a car? Here are some tips to first-time givers planning vehicle donations, the values of which may be hundreds or thousands of dollars. Don't say yes to the first charity that you read about, or that asks for help with vehicle donations. Determine which causes you want to support. Perhaps you want to give to cancer research, an animal rescue group or your church. Identify the cause and charity, then find out if the organization offers vehicle donation programs. Many major charities have policies for accepting vehicle donations. Shop around and learn what policies the charities have in place for accepting vehicles, including how the proceeds are used, and what portion of the money goes directly to services and programs.


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