Year-End Giving 2026

Maximize your impact through strategic year-end giving

The last weeks of the year are a good time to step back, give thanks, and decide where God is leading your generosity. Below are the key 2026 dates and gift options to help your end-of-year donations go further for the gospel.

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A Season to Steward Well

Year-end giving is a chance to look back on God's faithfulness and give with purpose before the year closes. Some gifts are simple and can wait until December. Others, like real estate or business interests may take longer to complete. Use this checklist to find the charitable donation deadline for each type of gift, and start early so your generosity counts for 2026 and goes as far as possible for the gospel.

November 1

Real Estate

Real estate is often one of the most valuable assets a family owns. Homes, rental properties, land, farmland and commercial buildings can all be given to fund a donor advised fund or the Cru ministries and missionaries you care about. If you've owned the property for more than a year, giving real estate directly may help you avoid capital gains tax and receive a deduction for its appraised value. Contact us by November 1 if you want your gift completed in 2026. Tip: You don't need to give the entire property -- many donors choose to give a percentage amount.

Business Interests

If you own a business, your ownership interest may be one of your most effective tools for generosity. Shares of a privately held company, an LLC or a partnership interest can be given to support gospel ministry. Giving an interest before a sale may reduce the capital gains tax you would otherwise owe and provide a charitable deduction. Each business is different, so these gifts need careful review, a qualified appraisal and coordination with your attorney or CPA. Contact us by November 1 to start the conversation. Tip: timing is critical. If a sale is already close to final, the tax benefits may be reduced or lost, so talk with us before you sign a letter of intent.

December 1

Open a Donor Advised Fund

A Great Commission Donor Advised Fund works like a charitable giving account. You give cash, stock or other assets to your fund and may receive a tax deduction in the year you give. Then you recommend grants to Cru, your church and other ministries and charities whenever you’re ready. At year end, a fund lets you secure your 2026 charitable deduction now and decide on grants prayerfully over time. Open your fund by December 1 so it’s ready to receive gifts before December 31. Tip: funding your DAF with appreciated stock instead of cash may increase your tax savings. Learn more about the tax benefits of a donor advised fund.

Gifts from an IRA

If you’re 70½ or older, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) lets you give directly from your traditional IRA to Cru. The amount you give isn’t counted as taxable income, and if you’re required to take minimum distributions, it may count toward your RMD for the year. Contact your IRA custodian by December 1 so the distribution is completed by December 31. Tip: Email us once you’ve initiated the QCD so we know how you’d like it designated within Cru. Note that the IRS does not allow a QCD to go into a donor advised fund.

Charitable Gift Annuity

A charitable gift annuity is a gift of cash or securities that provides you, or you and your spouse, with fixed payments for life. When the annuity ends, the remaining value supports the ministry of Cru. You may receive a charitable deduction for part of your gift, and part of each payment may be tax-free. Your payment amount depends on your age at the time of the gift. Begin the process with our team by December 1. Your signed state-specific application and check must be dated and postmarked by December 31. Tip: ask us for a personalized illustration before you decide, so you can see the terms your agreement will be based on.

Mutual Funds

Mutual fund shares that have grown in value can be given the same way as stock. When you give shares you’ve held for more than a year, you may avoid capital gains tax on the growth and deduct their full fair market value. Start the transfer by December 1, and send us our Stock Directive Form so we know who the gift is from and where to direct it. Tip: mutual funds can take longer to transfer than stock, especially shares held directly with a fund company or transfer agent rather than at a brokerage.

December 15

Stock

When you donate appreciated stock you’ve held for more than a year, you may avoid capital gains tax on the growth and deduct the full fair market value of the shares. That often makes it more tax-efficient than selling the stock and giving cash. Your gift can go to your donor advised fund or directly to the Cru missionaries and ministries you choose. Ask your broker to start the transfer by December 15, and send our Stock Directive Form the same day. Tip: stock transfers often arrive without the donor’s name, so the form is how we know the gift is yours. If a stock has lost value, it may be better to sell it and give the cash instead.

eCheck

For some donors, cash is the simplest way to contribute to their donor-advised fund at year-end. An eCheck is a convenient option that you can initiate directly through your Great Commission Donor-Advised Fund. Keep in mind that the IRS considers a gift complete when it’s received by the charity, not when the payment is initiated. A 0.75% processing fee applies to eCheck gifts. Tip: eChecks can take a week or longer to reach our account, so initiating in early to mid-December is important!

December 28

Cash & Wire Transfer

Cash gifts are an easy way to support the work of Cru ministries and missionaries, or to add to your donor-advised fund, before year end. If you have a Great Commission Donor Advised Fund, you can add cash online anytime through your fund's portal. To give by check, make it payable to Cru Foundation and mail it to 100 Lake Hart Dr. #3600, Orlando, FL 32832, so it's postmarked by December 31. Wire transfers can often take 2-3 business days to be received, so be sure to start the process by December 28 to ensure a 2026 transfer. Tip: Postmarks may now show the date mail is first processed, not the day you dropped it off, so mail early!

Year-end Giving FAQs

What is the deadline for year-end charitable donations?

Generally, a gift must be completed by December 31 to apply to that tax year. However, many gifts need more lead time. Real estate and business interests, for example, should start by November 1. Opening a DAF, IRA distributions, charitable gift annuities and mutual fund transfers should start by December 1. Stock transfers should be initiated by December 15, and mailed checks need to be postmarked by December 31. (We recommend you drop it in the mail a week before.)

Can I donate appreciated stock before year end?

Yes. Ask your broker to start the transfer by December 15, or by December 1 for mutual funds. Send us a Stock Directive Form so we know where to direct your gift. Learn more about how to donate stock and mutual funds here.

How do I give to Cru from my donor-advised fund?

If you have a Great Commission Donor Advised Fund, log in and recommend a grant to the Cru ministry or missionary you choose. If your fund is held elsewhere, you recommend a grant to Cru using its legal name and EIN. Follow these instructions if you need help.

Is it too late to open a donor-advised fund this year?

Not if you act soon. Open your fund by December 1 so it’s ready to receive gifts before December 31. Our team can walk you through the process.

Did charitable giving rules change for 2026?

Yes. Tax legislation passed in 2025 changed some charitable deduction rules starting in 2026, for people who itemize and for those who don’t.

How can I give to a Cru missionary or ministry right now?

If you have a Great Commission Donor Advised Fund, log in to your fund portal to recommend a grant to the Cru missionary or ministry you choose. To give by check, make it payable to Cru and mail it to Cru, PO Box 628222, Orlando, FL 32862-8222 so it’s postmarked by December 31. To give stock, from your IRA, or to give another asset, call our team at 800-449-5454 or email us at hello@crufoundation.org