FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DONATING TO CORM

If I donate to you, what will you do with the money?

CORM will use all donations in its efforts to provide services to ex-offenders and at-risk youth as detailed on this site.  A small percentage of donations are used for administrative, fundraising, and producing publications.  In order to be eligible for the United Way campaign, our overhead (percentage of administrative and fundraising expenses over total expenses) must be less than 25%.

Do you use a professional solicitor or fundraiser?

No.

Do you raise funds for other groups?

No.

What is your current overhead percentage?

Our current overhead percentage is 15.6% as of the fiscal year ending September 2005.

Where can I find your financial statements?

You can find them by clicking on this link http://www.conquesthouse.org/finance.html

If I donate to your agency, how, why and how often will you communicate with me?

When a donation is made to our agency, the donor's name, address and telephone number is placed on our mailing list.  You will periodically receive news and updates about our activities, as well as notification of special products we have available.  Any donor that does not want his/her name on our mailing list should state so at the time of donation.

Do you sell my name and address and other personal information to others?

Absolutely not.  Your personal information remains confidential and will not be sold or given to third parties. For additional information, you may view our Privacy Policy.

Do you accept donations other than cash?

Yes.  CORM accepts donations such as clothing, vehicles and other items.  Please click here for a complete listing of items we are in need of.

Tell me more about your vehicle donation program

Vehicle donations have become a popular source of income for many non-profits and churches in the past few years.  They are popular because the donations benefit both donor and recipient.  It benefits the non-profit recipient because the car can be used for agency purposes or auctioned off or sold for proceeds to benefit the agency.  It benefits the donor because it releases the donor from the hassle of selling the car.  Donations of vehicles to qualified agencies also produce a tax deduction for those who itemize on their income tax returns. The value of the tax deduction, which is based on the fair market value of the vehicle, is often more than what the vehicle would have sold for.

CORM has been accepting vehicle donations since 1996. If you have a vehicle that you were thinking of selling or maybe had sitting in the garage or driveway, consider donating it to CORM. Vehicles must be garaged in Washington, DC, Maryland or Virginia.  Vehicles garaged more than 10 miles outside of Washington, DC must be in running condition (able to be driven for a reasonable distance without breaking down or posing a safety risk). All vehicles must have clear title (no liens or encumbrances).  Vehicles must be pleasure vehicles (cars, vans, cargo vans, SUVs, small trucks, motorcycles—no boats, buses seating more than 17 passengers, motor homes or other vehicles requiring special driver’s licenses).  CORM will handle all necessary paperwork.

To arrange for the pickup of a vehicle, call Louis Jones at 202-723-2014.

What steps does your organization take to prevent fraudalent usage of funds?

Our agency has several safeguards in place to avoid fraud.  You may call or write CORM and ask for a copy of our Internal Financial Controls Policy, which lists the controls we have put in place to control finances.

Are donations made to you tax-deductible?

Yes.  CORM is a 501(c)(3) agency.  All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.

To what address can I mail donations?

Donations can be mailed to CORM, PO Box 41493, Washington, DC 20018-0893.

Can I make donations online?  Are they secure?

Yes.  Donations can be made online by clicking on the link to the IGA website, which handles our online donations.  The link to IGA is secured, and the site encrypts transactions so they cannot be read or observed by third parties.