Important Update on Year-End Giving
Dec 19, 2025
Effective December 24, 2025, the United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmarks and Postal Possession rule clarifies how postmarks are applied, which may affect how the timing of mailed charitable gifts is determined.
Under this rule, machine-applied postmarks are now generated at regional USPS processing centers rather than at a local post office. Historically, a postmark served as proof of when a gift was mailed. With this change, the postmark date may be applied several days after mail is dropped off locally and is no longer a reliable indicator of the mailing date.
As a result, this change could affect whether certain mailed gifts qualify for a 2025 income tax deduction.
To help ensure timely end-of-year giving, donors are encouraged to visit a USPS counter and request one of the following:
Please note that self-service kiosks and third-party mailing services do not guarantee compliance for charitable contributions.
As a reminder, the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines has the following important year-end deadlines:
- Monday, December 29 by Noon - To recommend donor advised fund grants for organizations to receive support in 2025.
- Wednesday, December 31 at 11:59 p.m. - For online contributions through Manage My Fund.
- Wednesday, December 31 at 11:59 p.m. - Postmarked date for check contributions.
If you would like assistance with year-end giving or help ensuring your gift is received in a timely manner, please contact a trusted member of our team.
Action for nonprofits: We encourage you to share this important update with your donors to help ensure timely year-end charitable gifts to your organization.