Stock Donation: How Giving Shares Helps Charities and You

When you give stock donation, a way to give appreciated shares of stock to a nonprofit instead of cash. Also known as charitable stock gifts, it’s one of the most powerful yet underused tools in philanthropy. Most people think donating means writing a check. But if you own stocks that have gone up in value, giving them directly can save you money and help charities get more.

Here’s why it matters: if you sell stocks first, you pay capital gains tax. Then you give the rest to charity. But if you give the stock directly, you skip the tax entirely. The charity gets the full value—no deductions, no middleman. And you get a tax deduction based on the stock’s current market value, not what you paid for it. That’s a double win. charitable giving, the act of transferring assets to support nonprofit causes doesn’t have to mean cash. It can mean shares in Apple, Tesla, or your local utility company. Many nonprofits now accept nonprofit funding, financial support given to organizations that serve the public good in the form of securities. And they’re happy to get it—stocks often mean bigger, more stable donations than one-time cash gifts.

People who make tax benefits, reductions in owed taxes through legal deductions or credits work for them use stock donation to manage wealth and give back at the same time. It’s not just for the rich. If you’ve held a stock for over a year and it’s worth more than you paid, you’re likely eligible. You don’t need a financial advisor to do it—many brokerages have simple forms. The charity handles the sale. You get the receipt. Everyone wins.

What you’ll find below are real stories and practical guides on how stock donation connects with other ways people support causes—from setting up charitable trusts to choosing trustworthy charities. You’ll see how giving shares fits into the bigger picture of community impact, financial planning, and smarter philanthropy. This isn’t theory. It’s how real people are helping nonprofits thrive without spending extra cash.