Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q) Why should I donate through the One Percent Foundation rather than just give directly to a nonprofit organization?
  • A)

    By donating through the One Percent Foundation, you join a growing network of young adults committed to philanthropy, ensuring that you get more “bang for your buck.”  Here’s why:

    1. The Power of Collective Giving: As young adults, our incomes vary significantly.  However, with few exceptions, we do not individually have the resources to make contributions that will have a substantial impact on recipient organizations.  By giving through the Foundation, your financial contribution is pooled together with the contributions of dozens of other young adults, thus increasing the size and impact of your donation.
    2. Creating a Partnership of Engaged Philanthropists: The One Percent Foundation community is dedicated to engaged philanthropy.  Partners in the One Percent Foundation firmly believe that a commitment to philanthropy extends beyond financial donations and is best embodied by engaging in one's community.  The Foundation acknowledges that issues of need cannot be fully solved by money alone, and that only when we donate our time, energy, and expertise can we fully address a community's need. Partners in the One Percent Foundation are committed to this ideal and use the Foundation’s network and resources to make it a reality.
    3. Helping Nonprofit Organizations Work More Efficiently: By pooling our resources and making one collective donation to the nonprofits our Partners support, we help these organizations streamline their own administrative costs (as they only have to process one large donation rather than dozens of smaller donations), which in turns lets them focus more money on the fulfillment of their mission.
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  • Q) I already donate money to nonprofit organizations. Do I have to stop giving to those organizations in order to participate in the One Percent Foundation?
  • A)

    Absolutely not!  In fact, you are encouraged to continue supporting other nonprofit organizations.  Partners in the One Percent Foundation commit to donate at least 1% of their income to philanthropy each year, at least half of which must be donated through the Foundation.  Our goal is to increase the amount of money young adults give to philanthropy as a whole.  While many of our Partners do contribute 1% of their income directly through the Foundation (in addition to any other charitable giving they might already have), Partners who wish to donate to organizations outside of the Foundation are encouraged to do so, so long as they are contributing at least half of their one percent through the Foundation.

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  • Q) How does OPF determine what 1% means for me?
  • A)

    We don’t make that decision; YOU do.  We’re on the honor system here, which means your income is self-declared and your 1% contribution is self-determined.  We don’t ask for documentation of your income, but in return, we expect you to be honest about your commitment.

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  • Q) Why is it better for me to set up my donations as recurring online payments, rather than just making a one-time donation?
  • A)

    Setting up recurring donations (biweekly, monthly, etc.) using online bill pay is the preferred method of donation to the One Percent Foundation, as it ensures that your Partnership status is always active and requires almost no maintenance on your end.  Not surprisingly, our Partners have found it far easier on their budgets to give small amounts on a regular basis.  Additionally, since we’re operating on a volunteer basis, this option is significantly easier for the Foundation administratively and allows us to spend more time pursuing our mission rather than chasing down contributions.  If you opt to make a one-time donation to cover your annual 1% commitment, you will have to repeat it each subsequent year in order to maintain your Partnership status.

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  • Q) When I donate to the One Percent Foundation, where does my money go?
  • A)

    Every dollar donated by One Percent Partners goes to the organizations the Foundation supports; not one cent of that money goes to cover our administrative or overhead costs.  When you make your 1% commitment, your donations are pooled together with those of every other One Percent Partner and put into the Foundation’s donations account. 

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  • Q) How does the One Percent Foundation determine the size of each grant?
  • A)

    Each year the One Percent Foundation gives away 80% of the cash on hand at the previous year’s close, as reported to the Board of Directors by the Treasurer.  These funds are distributed in four equal-sized grants (each equivalent to 20% of the cash on hand at the end of the previous year).  The remaining 20% stays in the Foundation’s donations account to accumulate interest and is part of the calculation for the following year’s grantmaking.


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  • Q) How does the One Percent Foundation decide where the money goes?
  • A)

    The One Percent Foundation uses the combined donations of its Partners to provide grants to Partner-nominated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations performing critical direct-service work in the areas of Poverty, International Aid, Education, Health, and the Environment.  The Foundation does not support religious or political organizations.

    Each quarter, the One Percent Foundation makes a contribution to an organization in one of its five giving categories, which are scheduled so that each category is addressed once every 15 months.  Partners are encouraged to nominate organizations for consideration by the Partnership.  When a category comes up, relevant nominations are reviewed by the Foundation’s Assessment Committee through an established research and assessment process.  The Assessment Committee then narrows the choices and provides Partners with three to five nominated organizations on which to vote.  Partners vote using a ranking process and the organization with the highest rank receives the OPF grant for that quarter.

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  • Q) How do I nominate organizations to receive One Percent Foundation grants?
  • A)

    All Partners in the One Percent Foundation are eligible and encouraged to nominate organizations to receive grants.  To do so, visit the One Percent Foundation website, www.onepercentfoundation.org, and log in to your account.  (Upon becoming a One Percent Partner, you will receive a unique login username and password for the site.)  Once logged in, click on the “Nominate Organization” link under the “Grantmaking” section.  There you will find a form to enter the information about the organization you wish to nominate.

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  • Q) How do I vote for organizations to receive One Percent Foundation grants?
  • A)

    All Partners in the One Percent Foundation are eligible and strongly encouraged to vote in each of the Foundation’s quarterly grantmaking cycles.  Prior to the start of each two-week voting session, an email announcement will be sent to One Percent Partners with notification of the voting schedule.  Once you receive the email notice, you can visit the Foundation’s website, www.onepercentfoundation.org, and log in to your account.  (Upon becoming a One Percent Partner, you will receive a unique login username and password for the site.)  Once logged in, on the left side of the homepage screen you will see a link for the nominees, which will give you a detailed description of each of the nominated organizations.  After reviewing the nominees, you’ll be able to follow the voting link and cast your vote.

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  • Q) What else does the One Percent Foundation offer?
  • A)

    The One Percent Foundation is about far more than just giving away money.  The Foundation was built to be a vehicle for engaged philanthropy, and today that remains our primary focus.  The One Percent Foundation’s Programming Committee organizes a wide range of events, from guest speakers to philanthropy discussion groups to social events, all designed to create a community of young adults united around giving.  To see what events are in the works in an area near you, visit the calendar on the Foundation’s website, www.onepercentfoundation.org.

    The One Percent Foundation website offers several other resources as well.  At www.onerpercentfoundation.org, you’ll be able to learn about unique nonprofit organizations throughout the world, link to articles about giving circles and philanthropy, engage in various volunteering opportunities, and connect with other One Percent Partners.

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