December 2014


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• Offers to overnight


send a courier or delivery


service to collect the donation immediately.


• Guarantees sweepstakes winnings in exchange for a contribution. By law, you never have to give a donation to be eligible to win a sweepstakes.


Charity Checklist Take the following precautions to


make sure your donation benefits the people and organizations you want to help.


Ask for detailed about the charity, including


information name,


address, and telephone number. Get the exact name of the


organization and do some research. Searching the name of the organization online — especially with the word “complaint(s)” or “scam”— is one way to learn about its reputation.


Call the charity. Find out if the


organization is aware of the solicitation and has authorized the use of its name. The organization’s development staff should be able to help you.


Find out if the by contacting the charity the or


fundraiser must be registered in your state


by contacting Ask if the Better caller fundraiser. If so, ask:


• The name of the charity they represent


• The percentage of your donation that will go to the charity


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• How much will go to the actual cause to which you’re donating


• How much will go to the fundraiser Keep a record of your donations. Make


an annual donation


plan. That way, you can decide which causes to support and which reputable charities should receive your donations.


Visit Scholarship Watch


future would look like began to take shape. In that view, America’s leadership would include


all people


The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) Program, funded by a


of color, who would make a significant impact on the future direction of the nation. Coming from among the most financially needy students and attending the nation’s best colleges and universities, they would represent the extraordinary


promise grant from the


Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was established in 1999 to provide outstanding African American, American Indian/ Alaska Native*, Asian Pacific Islander American**,


and undergraduate Hispanic college


students with an opportunity to complete an


education


American in


any discipline area of interest. Continuing Gates Millennium Scholars may request funding for a graduate degree program in one of the following discipline areas: computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science.


In 1999, a bold vision of what America’s


inherent among all highly academically capable individuals, no matter what their background.


Moreover, the planners


envisioned that the researched experiences of the students’ matriculation and retention, the fact of these individuals’ extraordinary successes to terminal degrees, and the testimony of their voices, would spark conversation, and perhaps debate, leading to public policies and added philanthropic contributions in support of similarly able and financially challenged young people. That vision of Bill and Melinda Gates was funded by a historic grant of more than 1 billion dollars to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF)—still the largest single gift to any scholarship organization.


Service (IRS) webpage to find out which organizations


this Internal are


eligible


receive tax deductible contributions. Know the difference


Revenue to


between is Business


Bureau’s (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, or GuideStar.


a paid National


Association of State Charity Officials. Check if the charity is trustworthy


The Hampton Roads Messenger 15


“tax exempt” and “tax deductible.” Tax exempt means the organization doesn’t have


to pay taxes. Tax


deductible means you can deduct your contribution on your federal income tax return.


Never send cash donations. For


security and tax purposes, it’s best to pay by check — made payable to the charity — or by credit card.


Never wire money to someone


claiming to be a charity. Scammers often request donations to be wired because wiring money is like sending cash: once you send it, you can’t get it back.


check


Do not provide your credit or card


number or any personal information until you’ve thoroughly researched the charity.


Be wary of charities that spring up too suddenly in response to current events


and natural disasters. Even


if they are legitimate, they probably don’t have the infrastructure to get the donations to the affected area or people.


If a donation request comes from


a group claiming to help your local community (for example, local police or firefighters), ask the local agency if they have heard of the group and are getting financial support.


What about texting? If you text to donate, the charge will show up on your mobile phone bill. If you've asked your mobile phone provider to block premium text messages — texts that cost extra — then you won't be able to donate this way.


Charities and the Do Not Call


Registry The


National Do Not Call Registry gives you a way to reduce telemarketing charities


and


calls, but it exempts political


groups.


However, if a fundraiser is calling on behalf of a charity, you may ask not to get any more calls from, or on behalf of, that specific charity. If those calls continue, the fundraiser may be subject to a fine.


Report Charity Scams If you think you’ve been the


victim of a charity scam or if a


fundraiser has violated Do Not Call rules, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Your complaints can help detect patterns of wrong-doing and lead to investigations and prosecutions.


Gates Millennium Scholars Program 2015 20,000 individuals,


One of the most unique aspects of the GMS Program is the partnership and collective efforts of the four partner organizations providing services to the continuing Gates Millennium Scholars. GMS Program staff members at the American Indian Graduate Center Scholars (AIGCS), the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF), the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) and UNCF service students from all fifty states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is truly a national effort.


Who’s Eligible?


Students are eligible to be considered for a GMS scholarship if they meet all of the following criteria:


- Are African American, American Indian/ Alaska Native, Asian & Pacific Islander American or Hispanic American


- Are a citizen, national or legal permanent resident of the United States


number, bank account


- Have attained a cumulative high school GPA of 3.3 on an unweighted 4.0 scale or have earned a GED


- Will enroll for the first time at a U.S. located, accredited college or university (with the exception of students concurrently pursuing a high school diploma) in the fall of 2015 as a full-time, degree-seeking, first-year student. First-time college enrollees can also be GED recipients.


- Have demonstrated leadership abilities through participation


in community service, extracurricular or other activities


- Meet the Federal Pell Grant eligibility criteria


- Have completed and submitted all three required forms: the student's application (Nominee Personal Information Form), an evaluation of the student's academic record (Nominator Form) and an evaluation of the student's community service and leadership activities (Recommender Form) by the deadline online by Wednesday, January 14, 2015 11:59 PM at www.gmsp.org.


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