Southern Search & Rescue, Inc.

Donation Questions

Are donations tax deductible?

Yes, donations are tax deductible under the law. Southern Search & Rescue, Inc. is a holder of both a valid 501(c)3 Determination Letter and a Group Exemption Letter. To learn more about this, please visit our 501(c)3 page.

We are always looking for donations to help us continue with our programs. If you have questions about what can be donated, please check out FAQs or contact us. For information on the value of a donation, you will need to consult your tax advisor. We do not place a value for your donation, that is your responsibility. For more information read our Tax Donation Receipt FAQ.

To see various donation options that we have, please use the menu at the top of this site.

Are donations refundable?

No, donations are not refundable in most cases. Donations that are made to Southern Search & Rescue, Inc. or its divisions is usually put to use once it has been received, but Southern Search & Rescue, Inc. does understand that there are times that someone will attempt to make a donation using false or stolen information, in which case, we will refund such funds to the victim of the fraud.

We do require proof that such funds were donated illegally, in the form of a police report or similar official document, before any funds are returned. We also reserve the right to investigate this case on our own or using our resources to help determine if such as illegal event did take place.

Donations that are made, then the maker wishes to reverse them will not be honored as this was legal transaction and all action necessary will be taken to protect that transaction.

What type of donations do you accept?

We will accept just about anything, within reason. Whether its a donation using your checking account, credit card, echeck, vehicle, equipment, buildings, land, or other items, we take almost anything.  If you have a question about an item you wish to donate, please contact us before making your donation and read our donation suggestion page.

What type of credit cards do you accept?

We accept the following types of credit cards:

• MasterCard

• Visa

• Discover

• American Express

Normally, once you submit your information, your donation will be received by us within 48 hours.

Do you accept checks?

Yes we accept checks, money orders and echecks. An echeck is a check that you submit online using your checking or savings account information. It will be processed by the bank and transferred like a check you would write to Wal-Mart or similar places of business. Normally, once you submit your information, your donation will be received by us within 48 hours.

Using an echeck is a great way to send a donation and not worry about your check being stolen or bank information being used without your permission. Give it a try today using our state-of-the-art donation page.

How much of my donation is used for operations and projects?

Usually 100% of all donations received are used for operations and projects. While we say this, please understand that donations paid by credit card, echecks and similar payments, may provide a little less money to use, due to processing fees. We have a proud history since our start in 1991 and incorporation in 1996, that for ever $1 receive, we have made sure that at least 95¢ or more has been used for our operations and projects. In most cases we use 96¢ or more for each dollar raised. We have a very low overhead at this time, spend next to nothing on fund raising and advertising ($0 since 1997), and work to find the most efficient was to use our funds and help those that we work with.

Again, in almost all cases, we are able to use 96¢ or more for every dollar we receive. This is far better than the national average for non-profits, which generally run 65¢ to 70¢ spent on programs for every $1 received. We generally use less than 4¢-5¢ from every $1 to handle our non-operation expenses, while others use 30¢-35¢ or more. You can be assured that you donation will be stretched as far as possible.

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Membership Questions

How do I join?

You must complete an application from this website that will be submitted along with your application fee/membership dues. Once this has been received and approved, you will begin your journey with Southern Search & Rescue, Inc. and its divisions.

Can I submit my application online or by email?

No. Due to changes in the operation and management of Southern Search & Rescue, Inc., all applications (not including virtual positions) must be submitted by regular mail and include your original signature on your forms. You may submit your fees/dues online and you may submit your Membership/ID Card Photo online. For information on submitting this information, please click here.

How much does it cost to be a team member?

Besides your yearly membership fees, it can vary. Depending on what equipment you may need and purchase, training sessions that have a fee, other memberships, etc., they can add up. The general rule of thumb is at least $200 or more in the first year or two.

As time goes on, these costs go down as you have equipment that you can use on a regular basis and rarely have the update them. Again, it just depends on you and what you wish to get while taking a part in our program.

What are membership dues used for?

You may say, well, I'm a volunteer member, why are their membership dues?  Membership dues are used for various purposes within the organization and help us to be a better organization for our members and those that we help.

Membership dues help pay for ID Cards, T-Shirts, Insurance Fund, website and much more.  Everyone has the same dues, with the expectation of K-9 Teams which are $10.00 more per year for the dog.  All funds are used as they are needed to maintain and operate our organization.  Having researched various volunteer programs similar in style to our, we have one of the lowest yearly dues for our members.  There are some groups out there, charging $25.00 or more per month, which equals to $300.00 per year.

Your dues are also tax deductible.  See the Are My Dues Tax Deductible? FAQ

Are my dues tax deductible?

Yes, membership dues and fees are tax deductible. Your dues are used for the operation of the organization and therefore fully deductible under the law. Please maintain your yearly membership receipt for tax purposes. If you have a question regarding this, please consult your tax advisor.

Are my dues refundable?

The only membership dues that are refundable are the initial dues if your application is rejected and membership is not approved.  We will issue a refund check to you, minus $16.00, which is kept to cover the cost of the background check and processing.

Otherwise, dues are not refundable.  Whether a member leaves the organization, is terminated from membership,or otherwise is no longer a member, they will not receive a refund of any sort.  Once you are a member, refunds are not an option.

How do I pay my dues?

We offer several ways to pay for your membership dues. You may mail in a check or money order each year to the National Headquarters. You may pay by echeck, using your checking account information and submitting it to our payment processor, when usually means that it will be received within 48 hours of submission. You may also pay via credit card using the links provided in the members section of the website. Again, payments sent via credit card will usually be received within 48 hours here in the office.

If you make payment by echeck or credit card, there is an additional $3 to help cover the processing fees.  This helps to insures that we are able to get your new ID card, t-shirt (if needed) and other items that are handled for your membership.

There is not a team in my local area, what can I do?

We are always looking to setup new teams.  If there is not a team in your local area or near by and you wish to setup a team, you will need to following our Team Creation program that we have setup.  This will insure that your team meets the requirements for a team and that you comply with the laws and requirements that Southern Search & Rescue, Inc. are required to meet, including those established by the IRS.

If there are no teams established in your state, you will have the opportunity to develop your team, you will also be creating the primary unit for us in your state.  This means that when new teams are created, they will report to your team, along with the National Headquarters.

How much does it cost to start a team or unit?

With all new teams/units there is a one time $25 charter fee. If you team or unit is to be established out side of Texas, there could be additional fees. These fees would normally go to your state for the filing of a Doing Business As (DBA) for Southern Search & Rescue, Inc. if needed, filing to operate as a "foreign" corporation or other similar fees.

While the National Office will assist in completing and filing these types of papers, it is the responsibility of the team/unit to pay any and all fees. In some cases, there may already be a team/unit registered in the state and your new team/unit would just have to be included in their papers and file anything else that may be needed.

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Presidents Volunteer Service Award Program

Who can take part in the Presidents Volunteer Service Award Program?

Anyone can take part in this program. It is divided into 4 categories. Kids for ages upto 14, Young Adults for ages 15 to 25, Adults for ages 25+ and Groups/Families. Also you must not be doing community service because of a court order. It will not be valid for PVSA Programs.

How do I take part in the PVSA Program?

You must complete the required hours for each level before requesting a review. This information is listed on our PVSA Program Page .

You must maintain a record of your hours that can be verified by the organization that you volunteer for. This record can be in the form of a dairy, journal, time card device or online at USA Freedom Corps Record of Service

This information must be present to Southern Search & Rescue, Inc. and we must be able to verify this information. No Exceptions will be made.

What is the award package?

How do I keep records of my service?

There are several ways that you can keep records of your service hours. 1st you can keep a basic journal or log, kind of like a diary, 2nd you can keep a calendar of activities that you take part in and what the hours that you were there, 3rd you can generate an online service record by clicking here.

You can also download a printable record form here: Record of Service 179.72 Kb

Can I receive credit for a school or scout project?

Yes, the PVSA program is designed to provide credit for volunteers that give their time for any purpose in the community.  You can learn more about PVSA and the program on their website, just use the link from our site.

What kind of activities can be or organizations can be used to receive creditable hours?

The PVSA looks to reward all people that volunteer their service, but are especially interested in volunteers that help in the following fields:

• Youth Achievement
• Parks and Open Spaces
• Healthy Communities
• Public Safety and Emergency Resposne

Will you double my volunteer hours?

No

I have been ordered by a court to perform community service, can I receive the award?

NO, you can not. The PVSA Program will not allow it, nor will Southern Search & Rescue, Inc. make a statement that you do qualify. There are no exceptions to this rule. We will not allow anyone to attempt to abuse this rule, either.

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