Contributions from others (besides you or your parents) for Humanitarian XP trips may certainly be tax deductible*, provided that the following conditions are met: 

First, contributions must be made directly to Humanitarian XP, a Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 

Second, while contributions may be made with an indicated preference for a specific use, they cannot be restricted to only such purpose, e.g., “Johnny’s Humanitarian XP trip this fall.”  Rather, the donor must understand— and be willing to donate despite the fact—that if Johnny is too sick to travel, or the trip is cancelled for any other reason, the donation cannot legally be returned. This is because as the donee organization, Humanitarian XP is legally prohibited from operating as a “mere conduit” to receive and pass along donated funds.  

Third, and on a related note, as the donee organization, Humanitarian XP must exercise control over the funds and has a responsibility to assure that they are used for qualified tax-exempt purposes (e.g., if Johnny is too sick to travel, or his trip is cancelled for any reason, the donee organization must find other appropriate uses for the donated funds; simply giving Johnny the money as “his own” is legally not permitted).

The work of Humanitarian XP affects over 80,000 people worldwide every year. We build hospitals, schools, nutrition centers, etc. in 57 global locations, all of which have a life-changing impact on people who don’t currently have access to health care, education, or other critical services. The Builders who go on our trips are certainly affected in their own lives by the service they provide, but when they solicit donations, it is to help Humanitarian XP help the people that they are going to serve. The money you donate to Humanitarian XP will still be used toward those humanitarian purposes, and is therefore still considered by the IRS to be a nonrefundable donation.

By the end of January, every Builder will have a unique donation link that can be found in their Builder portal. When this link is sent to out to your friends and family, the money donated will go directly to that Builder. On the left hand side of the portal under “Paying for Your Trip,” it will take you to a page that says in the top right corner “Send this link to friends and family who want to donate on your behalf.” Under this sentence is the link that can be sent to others. 

Until that link is made available, friends and family are welcome to make a donation on a Builder’s behalf by writing a check with the full name and trip in the memo and mailing it to our office. Our mailing address is:

 307 W 200 S #5002, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101. 

Donations can also be made through Venmo to @HXP-Team. Once again, please ensure that the full name and trip of the Builder is included in the memo so funds can be allocated correctly. 

*A certain portion of all donations and payments to Humanitarian Experience may be tax deductible; consult your tax advisor for more information.