Latest from FIRST® WASHINGTON
As 2020 winds to a close, we are thankful for the support of our donors, volunteers, students, parents and staff. We have navigated a unique COVID-19 environment where our one of a kind after school STEM program went virtual and remote. If you have not yet made your gift to FIRST Washington for 2020, please consider supporting Washington’s students as they are prepared for STEM careers and STEM futures!
In addition, here are some important only in 2020 tax incentives to keep in mind:
CASH GIFTS:
You can deduct up to 100% of your adjusted gross income (AGI) for cash donations to charity.
A $25,000 gift to charities by December 31, 2020, for example, can reduce your AGI by $25,000. To qualify: You must itemize deductions (not take the standardized deduction); and your gift must be in cash and go directly to the non-profit, not a donor-advised fund (DAF) or a supporting organization.
GIFTS OF STOCK AND OTHER APPRECIATED ASSETS:
Stocks overall and the financial markets have done well this year. If you contribute to a non-profit in this manner, your charitable donation will be the current market value of the asset, but you won’t owe any capital gains taxes. If you itemize deductions, you can then deduct the gift up to 30% of your adjusted gross income, with any amount over that carried forward to deduct in future years.
Amazon Smile:
What if you could make a difference with your online shopping? AmazonSmile helps you do just that.
The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate a percentage of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to FIRST Washington.
Want to put your shopping towards a good cause? Here’s How You Can Help:
- Head on over to Smile.Amazon.com and choose Washington FIRST Robotics as your charitable organization of choice.
- Using a new or existing Amazon account, browse the website’s wide selection of products with the same low prices and convenient shopping features as Amazon.com. The entire shopping experience is the same.
- Make a difference each time you shop. 0.5% of your purchase will be donated to FIRST Washington, allowing us to continue our life changing STEM programming for Washington’s students.
As one of the most widely used websites in the world, we are ecstatic to see Amazon putting their most charitable foot forward. Be a part of the movement: get your shop on and spread the word! The more money spent at AmazonSmile with FIRST Washington in mind, the more money will be generated to support our mission. On behalf of all the students that may benefit from your gift, thank you!
Four Amazing Programs. One Amazing Community.
FIRST® Washington is an organization that offers a hands-on learning experience to inspire young people about science, technology, and math. FIRST® Washington welcomes students and volunteers from all backgrounds and abilities, and work hard to build an inclusive learning community. FIRST® Washington offers the most comprehensive STEM and career connected learning in the state.
FIRST®
LEGO® LEAGUE EXPLORE
Grades 2 - 4
Captures young curiosity by exploring real-world scientific challenges, learning teamwork, and working with motorized LEGO® elements.
FIRST®
LEGO® LEAGUE CHALLENGE
Grades 4 - 8
Elementary and middle school-aged students research a real-world engineering challenge, develop a solution, and compete with LEGO-based robots of their own design.
FIRST®
TECH CHALLENGE
Grades 7 - 12
Teams of middle and high school-aged students are challenged to design, build, and program a robot to play a floor game against other teams’ creations.
FIRST®
ROBOTICS COMPETITION
Grades 9 - 12
High school-aged teams compete head to head on a special playing field with robots they have designed, built, and programmed.