Vehicle Donations

majdomke · August 20, 2009, 08:38:20 PM

I would like to hear from other members what their experience has been with vehicle donations. I've seen several squadrons who've had vehicles donated by private citizens and companies and would like to pursue this. Please give appropriate advice on how you went about soliciting the donation, how it was documented and then how you keep it from being reassigned or borrowed. Thank you.

Eclipse · August 20, 2009, 08:53:59 PM

Generally a bad idea, and one that the USAF does not like.

Few people donate a vehicle that has been maintained to the standards that CAP does, and the USAF isn't interested in bringing clunkers up to spec.

If its accepted it becomes a corporate asset and can be reassigned at will by wing - this "its mine you can't have it" mentality isn't cricket. Donors should be interested in what is best for CAP as a whole, and if a unit can't justify a vehicle, of course someone else should use it.

The other issue is that once these clunkers are no longer wanted or die, they become a DRMO nightmare for the wing.

majdomke · August 20, 2009, 09:10:29 PM

I should have said "new vehicle" because the ones I've seen were donated new. How about someone getting a lease vehicle donated for the course of the lease? Thank Eclipse, I knew you would be quick to help.

Eclipse · August 20, 2009, 09:16:03 PM

A new vehicle is a whole different equation, especially a lease. Interesting.

I'd be curious as to what the advantage for the donor is beyond their benevolence - is the donation deductible? Legal has told us providing office space isn't deductible for the donor.

majdomke · August 20, 2009, 09:23:46 PM

I would imagine if a dealership were to donate a vehicle, lease or not, they would be able to write off the cost of the vehicle on their taxes.

Eclipse · August 20, 2009, 09:26:44 PM

Quote from: Lt Domke on August 20, 2009, 09:23:46 PM
I would imagine if a dealership were to donate a vehicle, lease or not, they would be able to write off the cost of the vehicle on their taxes.

One would think so, but in the case of property the issue was an IRS rule that required the donor to relinquish full ownership and control of the property, so donating office space was a non-starter.

To my non-lawyer eyes a car lease seems like the same thing. I'll be quiet for a while and maybe one of our legal types can comment.

FW · August 21, 2009, 02:01:25 AM

Donating the rest of a vehicle lease to an organization is deductable (the lease payments). However, it is a very bad idea to do this because of liability issues. And, I doubt CAP-USAF would allow it.

Donating a new vehicle is perfectly ok. Donating a used vehicle is ok also however, the unit accepting such a donation is fully responsible for it's maintanence/repairs for 1 year.

Once the vehicle is donated, it becomes the property of CAP and, as such, may be reassigned after the 1 year period. DRMO has nothing to do with this donation. See CAPR 77-1 for details and approvals of donated vehicles. Also see CAPR 173-4 for donation rules.

RRLE · August 21, 2009, 02:15:22 AM

Once the vehicle is donated, it becomes the property of CAP and, as such, may be reassigned after the 1 year period.

The donor could restrict the use of the gift to a particular squadron. National could not void the terms of the deed of gift. Of course, they could refuse the gift in the first place, if it had such a clause.

Eclipse · August 21, 2009, 02:23:06 AM

Quote from: RRLE on August 21, 2009, 02:15:22 AM
Once the vehicle is donated, it becomes the property of CAP and, as such, may be reassigned after the 1 year period.

The donor could restrict the use of the gift to a particular squadron. National could not void the terms of the deed of gift. Of course, they could refuse the gift in the first place, if it had such a clause.

Cite please.

Property donations may not be restricted as there is no formal mechanism for this. Property is property, it all has to be received at the Wing level or higher and it all belongs to the corporation.

majdomke · August 21, 2009, 02:23:51 AM

Thank you for the valuable info.

Now, I wonder if anyone on this board has done this and will share their experience. I'd also like to hear from people who have applied for grants, etc for big ticket items such as this.

RiverAux · August 21, 2009, 02:30:47 AM

Other charities have programs where people give them cars that are more or less junk and then that organization sells them for scrap (or whatever) and keeps the money. Haven't heard of it being done for CAP. Would probably be a whole lot of trouble.

Eclipse · August 21, 2009, 02:33:33 AM

Quote from: Lt Domke on August 21, 2009, 02:23:51 AM
Thank you for the valuable info.

Now, I wonder if anyone on this board has done this and will share their experience. I'd also like to hear from people who have applied for grants, etc for big ticket items such as this.

I'm just curious, are you looking for something other than the typical CAP van, etc? A lot of Regions and Wings have trouble placing the ones they get and have vehicles collecting dust. You might be surprised.

Otherwise its getting to be that time of year again to start putting unit vehicle requests (CAPF 175).

majdomke · August 21, 2009, 02:33:51 AM

I would only be willing to consider new or late model with low miles for the same exact reason.

majdomke · August 21, 2009, 02:37:22 AM

Eclipse,

I was just pondering the same exact thing... what do I want.

For ES purposes:
Chevy Suburban or Tahoe
Ford Excursion or Expedition

For Cadet purposes:
Ford, Chevy or Dodge 12/15 passenger van (could be used for ES I know but we do tons of missions in the high sierra's traveling often on unpaved roads)

Eclipse · August 21, 2009, 02:40:38 AM

The Van is what they are giving, but a Tahoe or Expedition probably isn't going to come from the USAF.

majdomke · August 21, 2009, 03:04:06 AM

I wonder why they put SUV's on the form then... annoying.

FW · August 21, 2009, 03:23:08 AM

Where's badger when we need him?

NHQ purchases sedans, SUVs, minivans and vans for our use. distribution is determined by a secret computer located in the sub basement of an undesclosed location in Alabama (not really).

I've had quite a few vehicles donated to our wing. It is a realativly easy process IF the vehicle is in good condition. I would not think of accepting anything like a 1987 Chevy 12 pak.... Oh, wait a second, we get those from National,

Eclipse · August 21, 2009, 03:28:17 AM

Quote from: Lt Domke on August 21, 2009, 03:04:06 AM
I wonder why they put SUV's on the form then... annoying.

You can request them, and its not unheard of to get them, but the majority of vehicles from NHQ have been the 12 and 15 (now 11) pack vans because they are a lot more useful in most areas than an SUV.

At least more useful in the people-moving sense which is what most COV's get used for.

majdomke · August 21, 2009, 03:36:38 AM

I just realized Ford stopped making Excursions back in 2005. What a bummer... their diesel version had great gas mileage and tons of capacity. Any full-size SUV is going to get you at least 8 passenger which is better than what we have now... my minivan

badger bob · August 21, 2009, 02:15:53 PM

Added my email address for FW.
Several questions posed.

A donation of property is a donation only if title is transfered freely to the non-profit corporation. Donating the use of a vehicle that is under lease would require a legal review before acceptance.

Vehicle donations and aircraft donations have special rules because IRS has special rules limiting donations. If a vehicle or aircraft is donated, and then sold or disposed of within two years, special IRS reporting rules are triggered.

All donations need to be processed thru your wing, because only the wing commander or other corporate officer is authorized to accept doantions on behalf opf the corporation.

Vehicle donations and aircraft donations also require special handling because our fleet is insured and maintained partially or completely using appropriated funds. CAP-USAF and NHQ-LG must approve vehicle doanations and aircraft donations in addition to the wing commander.

That aside, donations of useable equipment should be encouraged where the equipment is in useable condition. Donations must be made to the corporation for tax, insurance, regulatory, and because of our agreements with the Air Force- not as a part of a effort to suck equipment out of a squadron into some unnamed black hole.

flynd94 · August 21, 2009, 02:25:50 PM

Back in 2004 we had a cadets father donate a Ford Excursion to our squadron. The process was fairly easy. He also put a caveat on the donation, that it was for our squadron only, our wing CC signed off on the deal. The "white whale" still is a squadron asset. Anyone in CAWG (ok, they all might not know) knows of the "white whale", it was quite the regular at summer encampment when I helped out, it was also quite the ES vehicle.

Airrace · August 22, 2009, 02:51:55 AM

Generally a bad idea, you will have beter luck doing a fund raising project and get one at auction. The miltary ones that they give away are in bad shape and usualy need a lot of work. However if you use the military auction you will have beter luck.

PHall · August 22, 2009, 04:34:37 AM

Kieth, the Whale has been MIA at Encampment for at least two years now.