Is the winning bid tax deductible for our donors?

At a disease research or patient charity gala, a donor raises a paddle for a travel experience and then asks, “Is this bid tax deductible?” Committee members don’t want to guess wrong on a tax question, and the answer affects how high paddles go. For organizations like yours, where supporters have a personal connection to the cause, it’s a question that comes up every year.

A charitable auction often includes travel packages or experiences. For disease research and patient charities, winning bids above fair market value are generally tax deductible. Fair market value is the price an experience would sell for to the public. The portion a donor pays above that value is considered a charitable contribution. That’s the number your donors need.

To give donors that number, you need fair market value printed with each package. Giveback XP sets this from rack rates for every travel experience. You reserve what you like for free, get the marketing sheet with the value listed, and only pay when an item sells. The catalog does the work, so there is no guesswork at the table.

Next, think about your crowd. Disease research galas often draw strong interest for bucket-list events like Formula 1, the Kentucky Derby, the US Open, Napa trips, and Italy getaways. Call Giveback XP to reserve these for your benefit dinner. You only pay for an experience if it sells, keep 100% over the cost, and can sell the same package multiple times if bidding gets hot. You are not too late: items can be added the same day as your event.

With fair market value listed, donors see the deductible portion right away. They confirm with their tax advisor and bid with confidence. The committee doesn’t have to guess on tax questions. Paddles stay up because the answer is already in the catalog.

Other questions about galas & benefit dinners for disease research & patient charities