(Radio Iowa) – This is Giving Tuesday, a vital day for Iowa non-profits to pull in much-needed donations before the end of the year, and it’s also an ideal time for Iowans to max out their charitable contributions for the 2025 tax year. Donna Dostal is president and C-E-O of SHARE Iowa and the Community Foundation for Western Iowa, which serves a host of non-profits in nine western Iowa counties. Dostal says she’s confident this will be a good day for giving — and receiving.

“I am absolutely an optimist and so I think people understand that times are tough, times are very difficult for the nonprofits that are doing the work,” Dostal says. “Every day, our lives are touched by nonprofits. So when we think of things from a place of abundance rather than scarcity, it’s very important to realize that even the smallest gift can make an impact.” There is legitimate concern about online giving, as mirror websites that look nearly identical to the real thing can dupe well-meaning donors.

“ShareIowa.org is the best place that you can go. It’s very safe, very secure. Everything is monitored by the Community Foundation and by the SHARE platform,” Dostal says, “and all of the nonprofits that are registered on SHARE Iowa are legitimate, 501-C3 organizations that we have vetted.” There are 17 nationally-accredited community foundations in Iowa. Find the one nearest to you by visiting Iowa Council of Foundations-dot-org. Dostal says it’s easy to find a charity that’s worth your support.

“You can search for organizations that touch your heart and do the things that you really want to see happen in your community. You can also search geographically and look at nonprofits that are doing work in Page County or Fremont County or Mills County,” Dostal says. “The money goes directly to them. It doesn’t come through us at the Community Foundation. Gifts go directly to the non-profits that you’re supporting.” The SHARE Iowa portal generated more than one-and-a-half million dollars for western Iowa non-profits on Giving Tuesday of 2024, and Dostal remains hopeful that mark can be beaten today.