FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is my donation to VISPA tax deductible?
Yes. Through a partnership with The Endeleo Project, Inc., a non-profit organization, all donations to VISPA are tax deductible. After they donate, all donors will receive a document by email or regular mail that can be filed with their tax return. See the "Donate" page for details.
Why do I have to donate to The Endeleo Project to donate to VISPA?
Doing it this way is for the benefit of donors. VISPA is not a U.S. organization, which makes the process of donating directly to VISPA more complicated. By donating through an established U.S. 501(c)(3), donors will have the benefits of tax deductibility and the peace of mind of knowing that they are interacting with a U.S. registered, approved and regulated organization.
Do I use cash, check or credit card to make a donation?
Donations can be made either by paper check, electronic check or by credit card using Google Checkout. Because of the need to maintain records of our donations, we prefer that donations not be made in cash. Please see the "Donate" page for the mailing address and account details.
How can I be sure my donation is not being used inappropriately?
The Endeleo Project, which manages the donations (see above), requires foreign organizations it supports to enter into agreements whereby the foreign organization can only use funds its receives for designated purposes and in a manner consistent with the instructions of The Endeleo Project. VISPA has set up a separate account for funds received from The Endeleo Project and has agreed that it will only use funds it receives towards expenses related to food, healthcare, education and community support. Thus, while VISPA can put your money towards the construction of a school, it cannot use it to buy diamond earings for Hellen. Further, with every wire transfer of funds, The Endeleo Project sends an authorization that designates what expenses are authorized. Finally, VISPA provides statements twice a year outlining money received and how its been used. These statements will be made available on this website and on the Endeleo Project's website when available.
What fraction of my donation actually makes it to VISPA?
All donors should dilligently evaluate charities to ensure that their donations are being spent effectively. At VISPA we recognize this and have aimed to keep administrative costs to an absolute minimum. There is only one cost associated with your donation: the cost to transfer money to Kenya. Because the cost to transfer money can be prohibitive for small donations (for example, banks charge around $35 dollars no matter how much is sent and Western Union charges around $5 and up, depending on the amount sent), The Endeleo Project pools your donation with others before sending it, only sending money to VISPA when a threshold has been reached. We aim to keep the transfer costs below 4% (roughly $20 to send $500). That is the only cost. This web site is free and no employee of The Endeleo Project receives any compensation for taking care of the donations. Thus, you can generally expect 96% or more of your donation to reach VISPA. The more donations we get (and the larger the donation), the greater the percentage that makes it to Kenya. Note that there are also no additonal costs associated with donating via credit card. Google does not charge non-profits for use of its Google Checkout service.