Ways to give

Giving should be easy. Here are the different ways you can support SUN’s mission. As a 501(c)(3), all gifts to SUN are tax-deductible.

Ways to Give

Other ways to give

Financials

Learn more about Solar United Neighbors’ financial information.

Your Privacy

Your privacy is incredibly important to us. We collect your information in order to process your order, but we keep it 100% confidential and never share it. If you sign up for email updates from Solar United Neighbors, you can unsubscribe at any time.

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Donor-Advised Fund

Donor-Advised Fund

If you have a donor-advised fund (DAF) set up with Fidelity Charitable®, Schwab Charitable®, or the BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund®, you can jumpstart the process of donating to Solar United Neighbors through your DAF by using the DAF Direct form below.

The three DAF-sponsoring organizations indicated above participate in the DAF Direct service to provide you with a convenient, easy way to access your DAF. DAF Direct does not charge processing or transaction fees.

The “designation” entered by most people who donate to us through their DAF is “where it’s needed most.”

When you click “Next” on the DAF Direct form below, you’ll be taken to the account login page on the website hosted by your DAF-sponsoring organization. You complete the donation process there.

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Securities

Securities

Donating securities can be one of the most tax-efficient ways for you to support our mission to build a new energy system with rooftop solar at the cornerstone. And it’s easy.

How you benefit from donating appreciated securities

• You can take a tax deduction for the full fair market value of your donated securities; and
• Avoid the capital gains tax you would likely have to pay if you sold the securities.

Requirements to donate securities to Solar United Neighbors

• Must be publicly traded, appreciated securities
• You must have owned the securities for more than one year
• Securities must be held by your brokerage institution, this includes stocks, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs)

Get Started: The Process is Simple

Solar United Neighbors uses Stock Donator to securely process securities donations. This service is free for donors. To get started, you must use one of the following two methods:

Method A: Online Form

1. Use Stock Donator’s online, automated form to initiate the process. This link will take you to a form on Stock Donator’s website that is specific to Solar United Neighbors.
2. Once you submit the online form, Stock Donator will initiate the securities transfer with your brokerage institution.
3. Stock Donator will send you updates on the status of your donation.
4. Stock Donator will send you a donation receipt on Solar United Neighbors’ behalf as soon as your donation clears.

Method B: PDF Form

1. Download Stock Donator’s simple “Non-Automated Stock Donation Initiation Request” form. This is a fillable PDF document.
2. Complete the non-automated form. Be sure to write “Solar United Neighbors” in the field asking for the name of the “Stock Donator Member Organization.”
   1. If you select “Option 1” on the non-automated form, you need to contact your brokerage institution directly to initiate the securities transfer after you submit the form to Stock Donator.
   2. If you select “Option 2” on the non-automated form, then Stock Donator will initiate the securities transfer with your brokerage institution for you.
3. Send it directly to Stock Donator per the instructions on the form. We recommend that you also cc us at: development@solarunitedneighbors.org when you email the form to Stock Donator.
   1. Note: If you choose Method B, it is essential that you fill out and submit this form. This will enable Stock Donator to credit your donation to Solar United Neighbors when they receive your transferred securities.
4. Stock Donator will send you updates on the status of your donation.
5. Stock Donator will send you a donation receipt on Solar United Neighbors’ behalf as soon as your donation clears.

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Planned Giving

Charitable Bequest

Adding a charitable gift to Solar United Neighbors to your will, revocable trust, retirement account, or life insurance policy is a simple act with lasting results. 

You don’t have to be wealthy. Most charitable bequests are made by everyday people.

Designating Solar United Neighbors as a successor beneficiary on your life insurance policy, IRA, or other retirement account is an easy, tax-wise way to support a cause you care about as part of your legacy.

Distributions resulting from these beneficiary designations do not go through probate. So they’re a great way to ensure that Solar United Neighbors has quick access to your charitable gift after your lifetime even if some of your estate has to go through probate.

Follow the instructions below to leave your solar-inspired legacy. 

Your will or trust

1. You designate a particular amount or a percentage of your estate to Solar United Neighbors by including a bequest provision in your will or revocable trust. You can do this while creating your will or revocable trust, or you can amend your existing one. Solar United Neighbors can be either a primary or a contingent beneficiary.Here’s a sample of what your will or trust might say:

I give, devise, and bequeath [here you would insert a dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or indicate the rest and residue of your estate] to Solar United Neighbors, a District of Columbia nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation. Solar United Neighbors’ IRS-designated tax ID number is 46-2462990.

2. You inform Solar United Neighbors of your commitment, which helps for planning and ensures your wishes can be fulfilled. This is especially important for potential gifts of real estate or other specialized property. Email Kristi Gallagher, Development Director, at development@solarunitedneighbors.org.
3. Solar United Neighbors receives the gift after your lifetime and applies it to our mission. Your charitable gift will support Solar United Neighbors’ work to educate communities about going solar, to help solar owners and supporters fight for clean energy rights, and to transform our energy grid. 
4. Your charitable distribution may be fully deductible for federal estate tax purposes. In general, there is no federal limit on the deduction of charitable bequests against the value of an estate. This can make charitable bequests a powerful tool for reducing estate tax.

Your retirement account and life insurance policy

1. Ask your employer or your plan administrator to provide you with the appropriate form to use to designate Solar United Neighbors as a beneficiary.
2. To assist you in completing your institution’s beneficiary designation form, it will be helpful for you to know that Solar United Neighbors is based in the District of Columbia. Our tax ID number is 46-2462990.

Contact Us

Note: Solar United Neighbors is not a law firm and thus does not provide legal or tax advice. The contents of this page do not constitute legal or tax advice. For advice of that nature, please consult your attorney or tax professional.