donations

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Supporting the Marlow Volunteer Fire Department is more than just a donation—it's an investment in the safety and well-being of our community. Your financial support directly contributes to our ability to provide essential fire, rescue, and emergency medical services to those in need, ensuring that help is always just a call away.

As a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, your contributions to MVFD are fully tax deductible. Every dollar you donate goes towards critical resources and operations, enabling our dedicated volunteers to respond swiftly and effectively to emergencies without any cost to the individuals we serve.

We ask each household and business in our service area to consider donating at least $150 annually, but any amount—whether it's a one-time gift or a monthly contribution—is greatly appreciated. Your generosity helps cover expenses such as equipment maintenance, utility costs, insurance, and ongoing training for our firefighters.

If monetary donations aren't feasible for you, there are other ways to support our department, such as giving gifts of stocks and bonds. These alternative forms of giving not only benefit our organization but may also provide tax savings opportunities for you through qualified charitable distributions.

Thank you for considering a donation to the Marlow Volunteer Fire Department. Together, we can ensure the safety and security of our community for years to come.

Those with a traditional IRA are required to take out a certain amount from their account each year once they have met the age of 70.5, called a Required Minimum Distribution (or RMD). If you don’t withdraw the full amount, you face a large tax penalty of 50% on that total. To avoid this, you can donate the RMD — unlike cash withdrawals, QCDs are completely untaxed.

Your QCD must be made directly from your IRA custodian to the Marlow Volunteer Fire Department on your behalf. Each financial institution has its own process for initiating a qualified charitable distribution. Follow your institution’s forms and procedures to ensure you receive any potential tax benefits associated with this gift. 

If you have an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and:

A. You are age 70.5 or older, and

B. You are charitably minded, then

C. You may be able to pay less tax on retirement account withdrawals (as long as certain rules are met).

An IRA charitable contribution satisfies the annual minimum distribution requirement for your IRA, but there are some guidelines to keep in mind:

1. IRAs only – distributions from 401(k) are not eligible.

2. All or part of your minimum distribution may be made as a gift. The upper limit that may be directed to charity without paying income tax is    $105,000/year (indexed annually, starting in 2024).

3. Checks from your IRA must be made out to the Marlow Volunteer Fire Department. Gifts through third-party Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are not allowed.

4. Qualified charitable contributions must be made by December 31 to exclude that amount from taxable income. 

5. You cannot claim a standard charitable contribution on your taxes AND a charitable distribution from your IRA. No double-dipping, so to speak!