What is the purpose of Donation Options?
What is the process for creating my Donation Options?
When should I set up my donation options?
How do I choose between a one-time gift to a
nonprofit and creating a Family Fund?
How do I select the beneficiary of my donation?
Can I support a charity that is not listed on your website?
If my suggested nonprofit is approved, will it be featured on your website?
How do I change or edit my Donation Options?
How much will my guests see about my charitable options?
What happens if I return a gift?
Will nonprofits know who I am?
When are donations raised at my wedding distributed?
What is the purpose of Donation Options?
The Donation Options set-up process helps you select the charitable cause you
would like your wedding donations to support. It is also through the
Donation Options set-up process that you will decide whether you would like
to choose an I Do Foundation recommended organization, nominate your
own organization, or create a family fund.
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What is the process for creating my Donation Options?
Setting up your Donation Options is simple. Once you arrive at the Donation
Options page, you will be given the option to choose an I Do Foundation
recommended organization, nominate your own organization, or create a family
fund. You can choose multiple organizations by returning to your Donation
Options page and selecting another nonprofit. Finally, you will review the
I Do Foundation's terms and conditions for our charitable wedding services
and confirm your charitable choices.
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When should I set up my donation options?
We suggest that you set up your Donation Options before starting other
activities on our site. You may, however, set up your Donation Options at
any time before the day of your wedding.
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How do I choose between a one-time gift to a
nonprofit and creating a Family Fund?
The I Do Foundation enables you to make a one-time donation to your selected
charitable cause or create a life-long Family Fund that will generate
donations for nonprofits every year. We suggest that you only create a
Family Fund if you plan to raise significant funds through your wedding.
Family Funds require a minimum donation of $250. If you think you might be
interested in a Family Fund but are not sure, think about the type of
donations you think your wedding will generate. While it's difficult to
know, you might have a sense about whether your guests will mostly be buying
gifts (and raising up to $10.00 per every $100 gift) or whether your guests
will be making direct donations. If you think your wedding is likely to
generate $250 or more in donations, than a Family Fund might be for you.
Otherwise, a one-time gift might be the best option.
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How do I select the beneficiary of my donation?
When you go through the Donation Option process, you will be given the
chance to support one of the I Do Foundation's nonprofit partners, one of
our established giving areas, or you may suggest a nonprofit recipient. Before
you begin to create your Donation Options, you may wish to familiarize
yourself with the I Do Foundation's recommended nonprofits listed under
Charitable Partners.
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Can I support a charity that is not listed on your website?
Yes — you can support almost any charity you would like. When you log into your I Do Foundation account, we will ask you to tell us which charity you'd like to support. In addition to the ones on our list, you are able to suggest groups that are personally meaningful to you. If your charity meets the following three criteria, it will be approved to receive funds from the I Do Foundation: 1) The organization must be recognized as a tax-exempt organization under the 501(c)(3) ruling of the IRS code. 2) The organization must demonstrate basic fiscal responsibility. 3) The organization cannot promote violence, intolerance, racial division, or discrimination. It may take up to two weeks to receive final notification that your suggested nonprofit has been approved.
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If my suggested nonprofit is approved, will it be featured on your website?
On its website, the I Do Foundation lists only those organizations that have
been approved as Charitable Partners or other recommended groups. In most
cases, those organizations suggested by couples will not be listed on the
website. In cases where suggested groups meet the Foundation's strict
criteria, these groups may be considered by the I Do Foundation Board of
Directors for "recommended" status.
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How do I change or edit my Donation Options?
You can change your Donation Options up until the day of your wedding. If
you would like to edit your options, you can do so through the Donation
Options page. You can add or remove groups and see the status of
nominated organizations on this page. If you choose to add or remove a
nonprofit, this change will not affect any donations that already have been
made.
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How much will my guests see about my charitable options?
Your charitable choices will be made available to your guests on your
wedding website, in the section called "Our Charity." This page will list
the name of your charity, a brief description about its work, and links for
people who wish to access additional information. If you would like to add
a note about why you have chosen to add a charitable component to your
wedding, you can share this information under the "Our Story" portion of
your site.
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What happens if I return a gift?
Your I Do Foundation gift registry raises donations for every gift
purchased. Conversely, your donation is deducted for every returned item.
It is certainly understandable that every couple will need to make some
returns within a year of the wedding, and our system has been designed with
this in mind. However, if you expect to make a large number of returns, the
I Do Foundation may not be the best registry partner for you.
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Will nonprofits know who I am?
Many of our organizations would like to express their thanks for your support, and they appreciate the opportunity to know who you are. However, if you would prefer not to share your name with your nonprofit recipient, please let the I Do Foundation know by submitting a request to customer service. The names of your guests automatically remain private.
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When are donations raised at my wedding distributed?
The I Do Foundation will begin to disperse any donations that have been
raised at the end of the fiscal quarter in which your wedding took place. We
assume that your guests may continue to make donations and purchases up
until one year after the wedding date. Therefore, your I Do Foundation
account will remain active for that entire period. If you have elected to
create a Family Fund, donations will be distributed during the first grant-
making period following your wedding date. This will typically be within a
year of your wedding.
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