As we enter the holiday season and the close of 2026, CFWNC is here to help you with your year-end giving and grantmaking. Please note these important deadlines and dates so that we can provide the best possible service to you.
Holiday Hours
CFWNC’s offices will be closed on:
- Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27.
- Thursday, December 24 (at 1pm), Friday, December 25, and Friday, January 1, 2027.
Except as noted above, CFWNC is open Monday-Friday from 9:00am - 5:00pm.
For Gifts
- Gifts of appreciated securities should be made by Friday, December 11, 2026. Contact Melissa Crouse at 828-367-9918 for assistance. To properly account for your gift, CFWNC needs to know the type of security, number of shares, and date of transfer.
- Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) must be received in advance of Thursday, December 31, 2026, so that the proceeds can be deposited into CFWNC’s account before Friday, January 1, 2027. QCD checks (from an IRA checkbook) must be received no later than Tuesday, December 29. QCDs sent by EFT should be received no later than Wednesday, December 30. Please remember that per IRS regulations, QCDs cannot be used to fund donor advised funds. The annual 2026 limit for QCDs from IRAs is $111,000 per person ($222,000 per couple).
- Credit card gifts should be made by Monday, December 28, to ensure timely posting by the credit card company.
For Gifts by Check
- For CFWNC to accept a gift made by check, the check must be payable to "CFWNC" or to "The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina." The fund's name may appear on the check's memo line or in a separate transmittal letter.
- Checks from personal checking, savings, or money market accounts sent via the U.S. Postal Service to CFWNC must be dated and postmarked on or before Thursday, December 31. Due to changes made at the U.S. Postal Service in November 2025, please go to the counter and request a manual postmark to ensure it is postmarked on or before Thursday, December 31.
- Checks sent via FedEx must be physically received on or before Wednesday, December 30.
Itemizing Eligibility
- For donors who itemize their tax deductions: As of 2026, if you itemize your deductions on your taxes, you can only deduct charitable giving that exceeds 0.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). For example, a couple with a $300,000 AGI can only deduct total contributions above $1,500 — so if you donate $25,000, only $23,500 will be deductible.
- For donors who do not itemize their tax deductions: Starting in 2026, a new universal charitable deduction is available for cash contributions up to $1,000 for individuals or $2,000 for couples. Please note, donor advised funds are excluded.
For Grant Recommendations
- If you want a grant from your donor advised fund to reach the recommended charity by Thursday, December 31, please recommend the grant by Monday, December 14.
- While we will make every effort to process grant recommendations received after this date, if it is imperative that an organization receive a grant by year-end, please make your recommendation as early as possible.
- The timing of donor advised grants has no effect on 2026 eligible charitable income tax deductions because your charitable contribution was complete when assets were contributed to your donor advised fund.
If you have any other questions, contact the development staff for assistance.