Below is a list of the questions we are most frequently asked. Click on a question to find the answer, or simple scroll down through the list to look at all the questions and answers.

• What is Support Bonaire, Inc.?
• What is Bonaire?
• Why does Bonaire need support?
• Why can’t I donate money directly to the Bonaire charity of my choice?
• Can I designate which organization or project on Bonaire I want my contribution to go to?
• How much of my donation goes directly to supporting projects on Bonaire?
• Where is Support Bonaire, Inc. located?
• Why is IRS determination on Support Bonaire, Inc. being a valid 501(c)(3) non-profit not considered “final” by the IRS?
• What will I receive when I make my donation to Support Bonaire, Inc.?
• What assurances to I have that my donation will be spent to the betterment of Bonaire?
• How to I go about claiming a tax deduction for my donation to Support Bonaire, Inc.?

Support Bonaire, Inc. is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, which accepts tax-deductible donations from U.S. citizens and residents and applies these donations to projects it is funding to support various non-profit activities on the island of Bonaire. See the About Us section for additional information.

Bonaire is a small 110 square mile island located in the southern Caribbean – 50 miles north of Venezuela, and 80 miles east of Aruba. Bonaire is part of the Netherlands Antilles, a country consisting of 5 islands in the Caribbean, and is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Bonaire’s population is approximately 9,500 people.

Two main reasons.

The first is that Bonaire is perhaps the most ecologically oriented island in the Caribbean, but economic challenges make it difficult for the island to keep focused on preserving Bonaire’s amazing natural resources, like its coral reefs, mangroves, sea grass beds, and flamingo sanctuary, among other things.

Secondly, economic hard times resulting from financial mismanagement by the Netherlands Antilles Central Government, as well as a general downward trend in tourism (the primary source of outside revenue for the island) over the last few years have resulted in increasing financial hardship for many residents of Bonaire, and this means that there are many civic charities, such as an orphanage/family support center, several old age facilities and efforts, and education efforts in serious need of financial support. What inspired the founders of Support Bonaire, Inc. to start the organization is that there is some magic about Bonaire - “magic” which cultivates an amazing amount of support and love for Bonaire’s ecology and culture, even from first time visitors. However, many U.S. taxpayers are not able to justify supporting Bonairean non-profit efforts because there wasn’t a tax break available to offset the expense. With Support Bonaire, Inc., that now changes.

You always have been able to do so, and will continue to be able to do so, but when you as a U.S. taxpayer do this, you cannot deduct the value of your donation on your U.S. tax returns. By using Support Bonaire, Inc., you get a tax deduction as a U.S. taxpayer – something you don’t get if you send money directly to Bonaire. One exception exists – Jong Bonaire – namely because that organization has its own specific 501(c)(3) organization in the U.S. We encourage anyone wanting to donate money to this organization to do so directly.

Additionally, if the company you work for offers matching charitable contributions, the value of your contribution may double - so please check with your company to see if this something your company does.

No. Under IRS rules, in order for Support Bonaire, Inc. to maintain its 501(c)(3) non-profit status, the organization must have sole discretion on how donations are spent. However, by subscribing to our newsletter you can keep track of which special projects we may be in the process of funding, and when a project you are interested in helping support comes along, you can donate money to support that specific project.

Support Bonaire, Inc.’s goal is to have at least 95% of all donations go to support Bonaire non-profit projects. The other 5% or less are required to cover the minimal overhead necessary to operate the organization. While, for example, this Web site is a donation and is maintained on a volunteer basis, and a number of other Support Bonaire, Inc. activities are also performed by volunteers, costs and overhead exist in two areas: Accounting (including basic administration) and Service Fees (for example, bank fees for processing credit card and certain bank transactions). We expect these operating expenses to account for not more than 5% of the amount of money donated, meaning that 95% of the amounts donated will go directly to non-profit projects which support Bonaire. As a matter of comparison, many well known charities in the U.S. only pass through about 40-60% of donations to the final recipients, because they have greater overhead (e.g. salaries, office space rental, etc.). However, it should be noted that 100% of your donation (unless expressly noted otherwise) will qualify as a charitable contribution for IRS purposes, and you will get written confirmation of your donation so you can prove what you donated. Check with your accountant to see how and what you can deduct (certain limitations may apply depending on what forms you file with your tax returns and what deductions you are already claiming).

The offices of Support Bonaire, Inc. are virtual, in that our physical address is at PMB# 340, 2525 Arapahoe Avenue, Suite E4, Boulder, Colorado 80302, and mail and donations are received for us there, but the actual organization is operated via the Internet for the most part. This Web site is the real “headquarters” of Support Bonaire, Inc., and the Board of Directors, who are all based entirely on Bonaire, work through the Web site and e-mail to fulfill the organization’s goal of supporting Bonaire.

Under the IRS tax code, a new 501(c)(3) non-profit organization has four years from its date of incorporation to prove to the IRS that the 501(c)(3) classification the IRS approved is in fact valid. During the period between initial IRS approval and the end of the so-called trial period, all donations are tax deductible. At the end of the period, the IRS will reevaluate the organization’s status relative to whether it received funds from a wide range of sources or whether the charity was almost exclusive funded by donations from a single person or small related group of people. Should the analysis determine that it was the latter, the non-profit organization would be converted to a foundation, which has somewhat different tax implications from a standard 501(c)(3) non-profit. Were this to happen there would be no impact on the tax deductibility of past donations.

If you supplied an e-mail address with your donation, you will get an e-mail message from us indicating that your donation has been received. Furthermore, if your donation was US$50 or more, you will receive a letter by mail confirming your donation. This letter may be used as evidence of a tax deductible donation for IRS purposes. If you would like to know how donations to Support Bonaire, Inc. are being used, sign up for our free electronic newsletter.

Support Bonaire, Inc. is required to exercise "due diligence" when making charitable donations for projects in its charge. This means that Support Bonaire, Inc. requires verification from the organization receiving the funds that they are bona fide. The organization has to submit a project dossier and has to enter into a formal agreement with Support Bonaire, Inc. about how they will spend the monies. At the end of the project they are required to give an account of the outcome of the project and its achievements and to submit accounts detailing how the project monies have been spent. Support Bonaire, Inc. is even authorized to demand original receipts for all project funds. See our Policy for Grant Making.

The method for claiming tax deductions as a U.S. taxpayer varies depending on what type of tax form you file, and what your specific tax situation is. Please talk to your accountant if you have questions, or visit http://www.irs.gov.

Copyright © 2001-2008 by Support Bonaire, Inc. - All Rights Reserved.