Match funding : an easy way to grow your contribution to Biosphere Expeditions Personal taxation : another way to benefit from your conservation work with Biosphere Expeditions Match funding Match funding : an easy way to grow your contribution to Biosphere Expeditions Many employers, particularly in the USA and Canada, but also elsewhere (see examples), will match fund charitable contributions made by their employees, retirees and employees’ spouses. In Biosphere Expeditions' case this means that your employer may match fund your expedition contribution payments and other donations you make to Biosphere Expeditions. Some employers also provide matching funds to support employee volunteer hours. We encourage you to speak to your employer to find out whether any match funds and/or volunteer grants exists where you work. You can also use the "Resources" tab on here to find out, by searching an online database, if your employer provides match funding and/or volunteer grants. And always remember that if you have questions about match funding, please feel free to contact one of our offices for more advice. Thank you for your support!  Examples   "My employer in the USA, Thomson Reuters, has a matching gift program. The way it works is that my employer can match fund, as a charitable donation, payments that are made directly to Biosphere Expeditions, because Biosphere Expeditions is a certified non-profit NGO (in the USA, Biosphere Expeditions is a so-called 501(c)(3) non-profit). My employer also as a program called "Dollars for Doers", which matches the volunteering time spent and translates this into dollar cash donations for Biosphere Expeditions. Employees can request match funding through either or both of these channels. I chose the charitable donation pathway and my employer matched my expedition contribution, which meant that Biosphere Expeditions received my expedition contribution as well as my employer's charitable donation. My employer also offers paid volunteer leave, which is another way of benefitting from going on a Biosphere Expeditions project." Hideko Kawabata (works for Thomson Reuters)         "My company has a 1/1/1 model where they are committed to donating 1% of employee time, 1% of technology and 1% of financial resources to non-profits. My company made it possible for me to make a positive impact through Biosphere Expeditions by conducting reef conservation research. Many companies offer some sort of incentive for employees to make a difference and I encourage you to look into these and to take full advantage of them." Eric Moore (works for Saleforce.com)          "The company I work for in the USA has a donation matching program. For every dollar that I contribute to a non-profit organization, such as Biosphere Expeditions, Salesforce.com will match my contribution. In addition, my employer gives employees “volunteer time off”, which allowed me to use work time to do volunteer work on Biosphere Expeditions' coral reef conservation project in Musandam, Oman." Jen Lee (works for Saleforce.com)         "As part of a Six Senses staff engagement programme, I participated in Biosphere Expeditions' Musandam coral reef project whilst working for Six Senses in the Maldives. I was so impressed by the way the work was conducted that I suggested that a similar project be set up for Maldivian reefs. Two years and quite a bit of work later, an expedition was set up in the Maldives - a perfect example of a win/win situation for everyone coming out of a staff engagement programme." Anke Hofmeister, Marine Biologist (worked for Six Senses Resorts & Spas)         "I work for a company in Germany. As part of an incentive scheme I was presented with a voucher, which enabled me to have 75% of my expedition contribution for Biosphere Expeditions' Namibia big cats & elephants project covered by my employer, which obviously helped a lot in me being able to attend the expedition."   Some companies who provide match funding and/or whose employees have been on expedition with us Personal taxation Personal taxation : another way to benefit from your conservation work with Biosphere Expeditions  Depending on the participant’s country of origin, a portion of your expedition contribution as well as additional personal funds needed around the expedition (such as food, lodging and transportation) may be tax-deductible. In the USA, for example, Biosphere Expedition is a public charity, described by Sections 501(c)(3), 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(VI) of the Internal Revenue Code (often also referred to simply as a "501(c)(3)").  As a result, if expedition participants itemise deductions on their tax return, the real cost of joining Biosphere Expeditions in the field could be as much as 40% lower than you expect!  Download information on deducting expedition expenses for US tax payers 66.98 Kb   Examples "My spouse and I have taken part in many expeditions with Biosphere Expeditions. I have deducted my expedition expenses as charitable contributions each time, providing ample support documentation for each expedition deducted as a charitable contribution. The IRS requires a written acknowledgement from the donee to the donor, which specifies certain details. Biosphere Expeditions will be happy to supply this acknowledgment on request." Alan M. Hoffberg (participated in expeditions to Brazil, Namibia, Honduras, etc.) "When I came up with my budget to participate in Biosphere Expeditions' coral reef conservation / diving expedition to Musandam, Oman, I accounted for the fact that my expedition cost and travel expenses are tax deductible in the USA, where I live. That meant that the net cost of my expedition was substantially reduced. It’s amazing to think that one can participate in such an incredible experience AND get a tax benefit from it!" Kathy Humphrey (participated in Musandam expedition)   Resources & countries   Match-giving: You can search the database of www.doublethedonation.com to find out whether your employer provides matching gifts and/or volunteer grants. Or you can search another database via Habitat for Humanity's website. If your company provides match gifts and/or volunteer grants, then you may need the following pieces of information: Employer Identification Number (EIN) (i.e. Federal Tax Identification Number): 72-1614948 Organization Name: Biosphere Expeditions Inc. Organization Mailing Address: PO Box 917750 Longwood, FL 32791 Phone: 1800-407-5761 Fax: 1800-407-5766 E-mail Address: info@biosphere-expeditions.org Website: www.biosphere-expeditions.org Organization Type: Environment, Conservation, Animal Personal taxation: In the USA and Canada, your expedition contribution as well as additional personal funds needed around the expedition (such as food, lodging and transportation) should be be tax-deductible. Below is a detailed document on how to go about it.  Download information on deducting expedition expenses for US tax payers 66.98 Kb   Match-giving: Coming soon. Personal taxation: The question that arises for UK tax payers is "can I Gift Aid my expedition contribution (i.e. the amount I am paying to take part in the expedition) or claim a tax deduction at the higher tax rate?". Unfortunately the answer is "no", because the UK government changed the law in 2000. As a result this type of contribution is no longer considered a charitable donation, nor is it eligible for Gift Aid or a tax deduction. Match-giving: The concept of match-giving is not particularly widespread in Austraila. However, many large employers will support and encourage employee involvement with non-profit/charitable causes and some will match donations made to non-profit organisations such as Biosphere Expeditions. However, rather than it being a set policy in many companies as it is in the USA, it is often up to the staff involved to show passion for a cause and be able to get their employer on side to assist in funding it. The best way is to find out from your employer what is possible in terms of support, perhaps using match giving programmes such as those of Westpac and GSK as examples.  Note that in Australia Biosphere Expeditions Inc. is an incorporated non-profit association registered in the State of Victoria, incorporation number A004912Y, ABN 24002831061; we are also in the process of obtaining Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status, which means that employers and individuals get a tax deduction when supporting Biosphere Expeditions financially through donations. Please contact us if you would like to disuss any of these options with us. Personal taxation: Similar to UK taxpayers (see above), expedition contributions are unfortunately not tax deductible in Australia, because a service (i.e. the expedition particpation) is received in return. However, simple donations not connected to an expedition participation are fully tax-deductible.     Match-giving / Unterstützung durch eine  Spende des Arbeitgebers: In Deutschland ist die hier beschriebene, vornehmlich angelsächsische Spendenkultur leider fast unbekannt. Der beste Weg in Deutschland ist es daher, Ihren Arbeitgeber von der Wichtigkeit unserer Naturschutzarbeit zu überzeugen und ihn zu bitten eine Spende an den Biosphere Expeditions e.V. (gemeinnütziger Verein, eingetragen im Vereinsregister Amtsgericht Würzburg, Registernummer VR 200383) für unsere Naturschutzarbeit zu machen. Für diese Spende können wir eine steuerlich absetzbare Spendenbescheinigung ausstellen. Die Höhe unserer Expeditionsbeiträge richten sich auch nach den aus Spenden zur Verfügung stehenden Mitteln. The best way to achieve match-giving in Germany (where it is not an established part of corporate culture) is to encourage your employer to make a donation towards our German charitable Biosphere Expeditions e.V. We can issue a tax-deductible receipt for this to your employer, so the employer benefits too. Expedition contributions are after all also dependent on financing we receive from other sources. Personal taxation / persönliche Besteuerung: Da Sie für Ihren Expeditionsbeitrag eine Dienstleistung (sprich die Teilnahme an der Expedition) erhalten, können wir leider, wie in England und Australien auch, keine Spendenbescheinigung ausstellen. Similar to UK and Australian taxpayers (see above), expedition contributions are unfortunately not tax deductible in Germany. Donate/Friends Friends of Biosphere Expeditons The Friends of Biosphere Expeditions are people who feel passionate about providing continuous support to our wildlife conservation and research projects across the globe. By joining the Friends you can play a vital part in making a real difference to the survival of our planet’s endangered species. Help us to support critical wildlife conservation and research projects across the globe starting from a minimum yearly membership fee of £90 | €100 | US$140 | AU$130. More on the Friends and joining form Making a donation You can make tax-efficient donations via our US 501(c)(3) charity and our crowd-funding website. You can give to a particular project or our charity as a whole. Please get involved and give generously. Our projects need your support! We also have a page on employer match-giving and personal taxation, which you may want to check. My name is Steve Tredwell and I am a diving enthusiast. After having joined Biosphere Expeditions' dive projects in Honduras and Oman, I became a life member of the Friends and my £500 membership fee was used to create an educational colouring book for children in Honduras, on marine resources and how to protect them. For me it was great to see that 100% of my membership fee went straight into a conservation project and I really liked being kept updated by Biosphere Expeditions. I am Katie Bunting from London and have incredible memories of being on expeditions, where I have learned so much about the environment, wildlife and societies in remote locations. Being involved has opened my eyes to the importance of the work carried out in the field, and by being a Friend I'm hoping to make a long-lasting contribution to the conservation of our planet’s wildlife. My name is Sven Strohschein and I am from Hamburg in Germany. It was and is a great experience to be part of Biosphere Expeditions, even if it is 'only' as a Friend or an expedition team member. My memories include being woken up by elephants browsing trees just a metre away from where I was sleeping, witnessing a lion hunt in the middle of the night and talking to local people, discussing their problems face-to-face, all in a way you normally just see on television! Each time I join a Biosphere Expeditions team in the field it is definitely an all-time experience for me and I am very happy and proud to also support their work through my membership of the Friends and by helping with media enquiries in Germany. Here are a few examples of what we have achieved through donations via the Friends and our crowd-funding website. We have co-financed a field research station in Namibia, which is used by research bodies year-round. It functions as an important centre for conservation, providing training and a hub for researchers, as well as employment for the local community. “I work at the Hanyini Research Station in the East Caprivi. My job is to run the station so that research assistants from Biosphere Expeditions can concentrate on research work that helps to protect the livestock in our communities and to manage predators. This is my first job and I am very grateful as there is little work in our area. I am also very grateful for the work that the research assistants are doing. Since their arrival I haven’t lost any cattle to lions and hyaenas. My cattle are very important to me and for my family. Thank you for your support.” Simon Naha, Caprivi delta, Namibia.     We have also helped to finance a field research station in Peru. This too is used by research bodies year-round as centre for conservation & research, providing training for researchers, as well as employment for the local community. "My name is Aldo Ramirez Mejia. I am 21 years old and from the local community at Lake Sandoval. While I finish my studies in Puerto Maldonado, I work with the Tambopata Macaw Project studying macaws and claylicks, which is supported by Biosphere Expeditions. Traditionally, my family has fished, farmed and hunted, but thanks to Biosphere Expeditions and its ecotourism and conservation opportunities, I have been able to dedicate my time to my interest with the local wildlife with which I grew up, rather than hunting it. Thank you very much." Aldo Ramirez Mejia, Lake Sandoval community, Peru.     On the Azores whales and dolphins project, we have provided our scientists with funding to attend an international scientific conference to present their findings, as well as with funding to purchase much-needed IT equipment. “The Marine Mammal Society conference is the largest conference of its kind, with more than 1500 marine mammal scientists and policymakers from around the world in attendance. Biosphere Expeditions' support has enabled me to attend this conference to present our important findings. I would like to thank all Friends of Biosphere Expeditions who, through their donations, have made this possible for me.” Dr. Lisa Steiner, Azores, Portugal. "The Friends of Biosphere Expeditions have helped us tremendously in 2010 by funding the entire cost of  two computers. These new machines will be used for research data entry and analysis of photo-identification pictures of our study species. They will also improve the facilities for team members on future expeditions in 2011, our 8th consecutive year of study and partnership with Biosphere Expeditions." Dr. Lisa Steiner, Azores, Portugal. "My uncle used to work as a look-out for the whaling industry, spotting whales for the whalers and he taught me how to spot them. With whaling now banned around the Azores, I can do this job of spotting whales for Biosphere Expeditions and its research teams. It's a great way to use my skills, keeping them alive for future generations and helping the whales." Miguel Simões, Horta, Faial Island, Azores.     On our Honduras coral reef expedition we have purchased buoys and markers to delineate the protected area to make clear where the no-fishing zones start. "With the Friends of Biosphere Expeditions' donation we will be able to keep the buoys system up and running that demarcates our Marine Protected Area. Thank you so much for this!" Adrián E. Oviedo, Executive Director, Honduras Coral Reef Foundation. "I was born and raised in Cayo Cochino Menor. The island I once played on as a boy, I now work to protect as a boat captain for the Honduran Coral Reef Foundation. I know these waters like the back of my hand and enjoy sharing our marine treasures with the team members from Biosphere Expeditions. I am a certified rescue diver, in large part inspired by watching the teams work here. I am proud of my country and these islands and feel very lucky that researchers from Biosphere Expeditions are helping to conduct research that help in the conservation of the area. Thank you!" Alex Solis, Cayos Cochinos Islands, Honduras.     In Oman we have purchased camera traps to help local researchers in their Arabian leopard conservation work. We have also funded an Omani ranger to join our Caprivi expedition as part of his training. "My work on Arabian leopard conservation began with the Oman Office for Conservation of the Environment in 2002 and since 2006 I have been assisting Biosphere Expeditions in survey work on the Arabian leopard and prey species in Oman. Trhough my work with Biosphere Expeditions, I have had the chance to meet people from different cultures from all over the world and I also gained invaluable information & experience on how to conduct conservation research by working with experienced scientists from Biosphere Expeditions. Through the Office for Conservation I am now studying for a conservation degree in the UK, something I always dreamed of. When I finish my studies I look forward to continuing my work with the conservation of the Arabian leopard.” Hadi al Hikmani, Dhofar, Oman.     On many of our expeditions & projects, we have produced and distributed information and educational materials to local children and adults, about the importance of wildlife, natural resources and how to protect them and their livelihoods. The picture shows an Omani boy looking at a an Arabian leopard information booklet with a pull-out poster of an Arabian leopard in the middle. See more achievements of Biosphere Expeditions.