Need input- want to start accounts for conservation donations

[msjinkzd]

My husband had a really awesome idea. I regularly (try) to donate to different conservation funds and things that are important to me (invertebrates by msjinkzd is even a public radio donor). His idea was for me to offer to take $1 or basically "round up" orders (for those who were interested) to the nearest dollar and then put the money into an account where each year I would make a donation from my customers (list of names of those who donated would be on my website) to one of a few different conservation sites. I don't watn to go through the hassle of setting up the accounts and doing all the research if people wouldn't be interested. I, for one, am always teh person who gives a dollar for the food bank at the grocery store and think this is basically the same concept. I would track it so, if needed, people could see exactly where/who the money came from should there be doubts. I just thought it was a nice idea.
So, the question is, if this was available, do you think you would be interested in donating a dollar or some change to a joint account for fish conservation? If so, please post what sort of efforts you would like to support.

[BDoss1985]

I donate everytime I go to petsmart or petco so it's pretty much the same so yea i'd donate to a good cause.

[Dave-H]

The round-up idea is just a mental trick to help people donate using a 'keep the change' mentality, so if that works with your customers then go for it. Tax wise, a donation is a donation as long as you aren't passing through the deduction to your customers. So, you could ask for people to 'round up to the nearest dollar', you could ask them if they would like to 'add a dollar', or just put a percent of every purchase as a donation.

Unless you are going to administer the funds in some special way or pass-through the tax benefit (which you really can't do) there is no need to even maintain the special account. As you do your bookeeping just keep track of how much $$ is allocated to charitable donation, then give it away when you are ready. A separate account may be convenient, but may not be depending on how you want to handle it.

[msjinkzd]

the separate account would be so that the money REALLy goes where it is supposed to, and for auditing purposes.