Donations FAQ
1. When does the minimum fundraising of $250 need to be in the riders account so that they can participate in the event?
If you are trying to meet your fundraising of $250 for the Philly Challenge, the donations cut off is Thursday, August 21, 9:00 a.m. CST. If you are mailing checks to the Albert Lea, MN address, the checks should be postmarked by August 6th, so they can be properly credited to your account.
If you are trying to meet your fundraising of $250 for the Austin Challenge, the donations cut off is Thursday, October 23, 9:00 a.m. CST. If you are mailing checks to the Albert Lea, MN address, the checks should be postmarked by October 8th, so they can be properly credited to your account.
If you receive checks after the mail-in deadline, please bring these with you to the LIVESTRONG Village for Packet Pick-Up so they can be added to your fundraising total.
Donations can be sent in after the event and will be credited to your account, but these donations will not count towards Challenge incentives or your minimum fundraising total. These donations will still count towards qualification to Ride for the Roses Weekend.
If you have additional questions, please send an email to phillychallenge@livestrong.org or austinchallenge@livestrong.org.
2. Will my 2007 matching gifts received after January 1, 2008 count towards 2008?
Yes, matching gifts received after January 1, 2008 which correspond to a 2007 LIVESTRONG Challenge donation will be credited towards 2008 fundraising accounts. Please send an email to challengedonations@LIVESTRONG.org with specific information about these matching gifts, and they will be moved to your 2008 account.
3. Where can I find a personalized donation form?
The donation form can be downloaded from the participant's personal fundraising page right below the fundraising thermometor.
1. Go to www.livestrongchallenge.org.
2. Click on donate and the city in which the person is participating
Type in the participant's name
Download the donation form
4. I filled-out a W-9 form at Ride for the Roses Weekend 2007. Will I receive a 1099 in the mail?
Participants in Ride for the Roses Weekend who received goods and services over $600 less their personal contributions will receive a 1099. This will be mailed by January 31, 2008.
5. I am missing a donation that was mailed, what should I do?
Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing. If it has been 4 weeks and your donation has not posted to your account, please contact challengedonations@LIVESTRONG.org. Please include the information below in your email.
- Participant Name
- Participant ID #
- Check #
- Date the check was mailed
- Name printed on the check
- Amount of the check
- Where was it mailed?
- Was it attached to a donation form?
- Has the check been cashed?
6. I mailed in a package with multiple donations, but only some have posted on my personal HQ, what should I do?
Donations can take four weeks from the date you mailed them to post on your HQ. Each mailed donation is processed individually so even if some donations have posted in less than four weeks, please allow the full four weeks for the remaining donations to post. If your donation does not post within four weeks, please contact challengedonations@LIVESTRONG.org.
7. Is it necessary to send a separate donation form for each donation?
Yes. In order for a donation to be processed properly it is necessary to send a separate completed donation form for each donation. We will only process one check per donation form.
8. I am missing a donation that was made online, what should I do?
Any donation made online should post to your HQ (personal website) immediately. If your donation does not post immediately, please contact challengedonations@LIVESTRONG.org.
9. Why doesn't the full amount of a donation made over time show on my personal HQ?
The full amount of a donation made over time does not show on your website because we have not yet received all of the funds from the donor. As each monthly payment is collected, the amount of the donation reflected on your HQ will increase.
10. Can I send one check to be split amongst several participants?
If you need a donation check to be split, please send a separate donation form for each participant and indicate the amount to be credited to each participant. Once a donation is posted to an account, it cannot be split.
11. Can I mail in a cash donation with a donation form?
No, please do not mail in a cash donation with a donation form. We cannot accept cash donations. For any cash donation you receive, please convert the cash to a cashier's check and mail it in with a completed donation form. Please be sure to include the donor's personal information on the donation form so that an accurate receipt can be generated for tax purposes. Please do not deposit the cash into your own account and write a check for that amount; the IRS regards this as income and in addition, if a check is written from your account, you would then receive the tax receipt. There is not a way to have a check written from your personal account credited to another donor. However, if you have several cash donations from different donors and want to convert them to one check, you can accompany one cashier's check with multiple donation forms to indicate the amount that each donor contributed. Each donor will receive a tax receipt for the amount specified on their donation form.
12. Can the LIVESTRONG Challenge bill a donor for a donation?
No, the LIVESTRONG Challenge cannot bill a donor for a donation. Check or credit card information must be submitted online or sent in with a donation form in order to be processed.
13. If I can't participate in the event, what happens to the donations that I have raised?
All donations submitted to the LIVESTRONG Challenge are non-refundable. If you are unable to participate in the event, your donations cannot be refunded, but can be transferred to another participant. Through the funds you raise, you'll be supporting the Lance Armstrong Foundation and our mission to unite people to fight cancer.
14. A donor is requesting a tax ID number (or EIN number). What is that and how can I get it?
A tax ID number identifies Lance Armstrong Foundation Events and the LIVESTRONG Challenge as a tax-exempt entity. The Lance Armstrong Foundation Events Tax ID number is 20-4232365. Many donors will request this number to validate their donation as tax-deductible. Financial and other information about the beneficiary, the Lance Armstrong Foundation may be obtained by visiting www.LIVESTRONG.org, click on "About Us" and then "Financial Information".
15. A donor is requesting a 501(c)(3) letter. What is that and how can I get a copy?
The 501(c)(3) letter is proof LAF Events is recognized as a non-profit organization by the federal government. Contact challengedonations@LIVESTRONG.org to obtain a copy of this form.
16. A donor is requesting a W-9 form. What is that and how can I get a copy?
The W-9 form is proof that LAF Events is recognized as a non-profit organization by the federal government. To get a copy of this form, please contact challengedonations@LIVESTRONG.org.
17. Are donations tax deductible?
All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please work with your tax professional to determine what deductions you are eligible for.
18. Are registration fees tax deductible?
Registration fees are not tax deductible.
19. Who should I make my check out to?
Please make all checks payable to: Lance Armstrong Foundation Events.
20. Where do I mail donation checks?
All donations must have a donation form attached and should be mailed to the address on the donation form:
Lance Armstrong Foundation Events
National Mail Processing Center
P.O. Box 6002
Albert Lea, MN 56007-6602
21. What can I do if a check is written out to me personally?
If a donation check has been written out to you personally, you may endorse the back of the check and mail it with a completed donation form to the address on the donation form.
22. Can I send a money order or cashier's check for a donation or registration fee?
Yes, we accept money orders or cashier's checks for donations and registration fees. Please send this form in with a donation form.
23. Do all donors who contribute receive a receipt?
Yes, anyone who includes an email address will receive a receipt via email. Anyone who does not include an email address will receive a receipt via mail. Please check your spam folder for email receipts if you don't think you received a tax receipt. The email receipt is generated immediately after the on-line donation is made.
24. Can I create a receipt to give to my donors?
No, please do not create receipts to give to your donors. Only receipts issued by the Lance Armstrong Foundation will qualify the donor for a tax deduction.
25. Can team members share donations?
Team members cannot share donations. While we encourage teams to join forces in their fundraising efforts, each participant is responsible for making sure he or she has raised their individual fundraising minimum. We will not transfer donations from one participant's account to another participant's account.
26. Who can I contact if I need help with my personal HQ?
If you need assistance with your HQ (personal website), please email LIVESTRONGchallenge@laf.org.
27. Where can I find a list of the people who have donated to me?
Go to Log In, select your LIVESTRONG Challenge location, and log into your personal HQ. In the "reports" section, you can view a complete list of your donors.
28. Can I accept a bunch of donations and write out one check to the LIVESTRONG Challenge?
If the check is written from your account and attached to a donation form that contains your information, only you will receive tax credit for this donation. We are not able to give tax credit to multiple people for one donation. To ensure that each donor gets credit for the donation that they make, it is important to submit each donation individually.
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