Car donations from dealerships have increasingly become widespread in recent years. Most dealerships run a donation program where they grant cars to non-profit organizations or needy individuals in the community. Car donations also have some tax benefits to the dealerships because they pay reduced taxes due to tax deductions.
What Is Donated car?
Donated car refers to vehicles or any other automobiles that are given away to charitable organizations by owners who no longer need their services. Car donations provide some tax benefits. For instance, in the United States, taxpayers managed to reduce their taxes by $ 654 million. Although there are critics, who argue that car donation is a tax shelter, non-profit organizations rely significantly on revenue generated from donated cars.
How to get a car donated from a dealership?
It is not often that a dealership donates a car to an individual, but it happens from time to time. If you need a car but don’t have the financial capacity to purchase one, you may be able to get a car dealership to donate one to you. It is, however, important to note that car dealerships will only give a car to an individual in extreme charity cases. There is, however, a chance if you effectively follow the following steps.
Determine the criteria for a car donation
First, you need to make a call to the dealership so you can find out whether they have a donation program. If you find that the dealership operates a donation program, ask to speak to the person in charge of the program such as the public relations department manager, or the owner. Ask about their requirements for charitable donations to assess whether qualify for a car donation and the procedure which you need to follow when making the request. Most dealerships require that a formal request is made through a letter, but there are some that offer an online questionnaire to be filled by the applicant.
Write to the dealership
If after the assessment of the requirements you determine that you are qualified for a charitable donation, write a letter to the dealership general manager or owner documenting your struggles. Request the dealership a donated car in a respectful manner. Don’t exaggerate your story but be honest and don’t be afraid to be persuasive. Be specific about your struggles and ensure to include any detail or information that may increase your chances of getting the dealership to donate a car to you.
Give them the details
Include your current occupation, any children you have, whether you are continuing your education and any scholarship or citizenship award you have won. Ensure that you are prepared to prove any claim you make. Find and convince a clergy member to speak to the dealership on your behalf so he can verify your claims and circumstances. Include your contact information in the application and state that you are ready to answer further questions.
Follow up
Contact the dealership within two-three weeks to find the progress of your request. Be prepared to provide any information that the dealership may request before you make the call. Discuss your application and remember to explain to the dealership on how you plan to create awareness in the society regarding their charitable donation. It is essential to keep following up the request especially if you are dealing with a large dealership because it takes some time before they make a decision.
Get a Car Donated From a Dealership Tips
To increase your chances, you may need to make applications to some car dealerships so that even if one application does not go through, you will still have a chance with another dealership. You should also avoid restricting yourself to car dealerships; most car rental companies replace their fleet on a periodic basis, and some of them have a program which deals with the request for donations.
Bottom Line
Getting a dealership to donate a car to you or you profit organization may be tiresome and time consuming especially because this does not happen on a regular basis. It is, however, possible if you are persuasive and respective when making the request. The steps outlined in this article are a guide for any individual who wishes to ask a dealership to donate a car.
