How We Use Donations

Donations to the Glen Echo Fire Department are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. How do we use donations? Simply put, we use them to serve you better.

Misperceptions of County Tax Funding

One of the common misperceptions is that if a Department accepts tax funds, then its basic needs are met. This, simply put, is not the case. Our routine obligations, including mission-critical items such as building maintenance and medical supplies, exceed the monthly tax fund allotment provided by Montgomery County. Because Montgomery County has not changed our tax fund allotment “bottom line” in twelve years, we are currently operating with 1994 dollars. This is true of other Departments in the county as well.

As a Department, every year we spend tens of thousands of dollars helping meet routine obligations because of this situation. While we can receive a supplemental appropriation from the County, we lose the use of our private funds in the meantime.

Remember – we want to improve and expand upon the level of service you are provided – not merely maintain what you have now.

How to Donate to GEFD

• Cash, Check or Credit Card
  Gifts in the form of cash or check are the most direct, simplest, and most popular way to make a donation. You may even donate by credit card through this website. Itemizing deductions may allow you to claim a charitable deduction for the full amount of a gift made to the Department in the year the gift is made with certain provisions.
  
  
  
  
• Appreciated Securities
  A popular alternative to cash is the gift of appreciated securities. Generally, in addition to receiving an income-tax deduction for the full, fair market value of the stock, the donor avoids any potential tax on the capital gain of the securities assuming the appropriate holding period has been satisfied.
  
  
• Charitable Bequests
  Charitable bequests can allow donors to make significant contributions to the Department that they would not have been able to make during life while reducing estate tax liabilities.  Bequests by will may provide the Department with a specific dollar amount or property, a percentage of the estate, a residual amount, or a contingency bequest.
  
  
• Other Vehicles
  Other vehicles, such as Charitable Remainder Trusts, Charitable Lead Trusts, gifts of real estate with or without retained life interests, or life insurance can also be an attractive and suitable means of donating to the Department.

If you need any further information on how to donate to the Department, feel free to email donations@gefd.org.