Donation Guide
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Fundraising Overview
Impact of Donations
The money you raise at Walk MS funds groundbreaking research that gets us closer to a cure. Your fundraising also supports Society programs and services that ensure people with MS have access to the resources they need to live their best lives right now. Learn more.
Fundraising Minimums
There is no fundraising minimum to participate in Walk MS. However, participants raise, on average, $250. And more you raise, the bigger your impact! By reaching certain fundraising levels, you are eligible for exclusive prizes, clubs and rewards.
Tracking Donations
For the fastest processing of your donations, encourage donors to give online through your Fundraising Center. If you receive checks, upload them using the check capture feature on the Walk MS app (more information below in Checks & Receipts) or mail your donations to your local office.
If you mail in your donations, it may take up to 5 weeks to process donations during peak event times. If more than 5 weeks have passed since you submitted your donations, or you have additional questions about your fundraising total, please contact Fundraising Support at 855-372-1331 or by email at FundraisingSupport@nmss.org.
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Deadlines
Fundraising Deadline
You can turn in donations until September 30 to qualify for Gold or Silver Fundraising Clubs. To learn more about fundraising clubs, prizes, rankings and team benefits, visit the prizes, clubs and rewards page.
Reward Points Redemption
Participants earn one point for each dollar they raise. These points can be redeemed on the Walk MS Rewards site, where prizes are offered at several milestone levels. For instance, if you meet your $500 fundraising goal before your event, you can redeem 500 points at that time. Points may be rolled over to the following year if you register by the deadline. For more information, visit the prizes, clubs and rewards page. If you register for Walk MS 2022 by January 31, 2022 your points will rollover. If you do not register for Walk MS 2022 by January 31, 2022, your points will expire.
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Checks & Receipts
Addressing a Check
Checks must be made out to the “National MS Society.” If you receive a check payable to your team, write "National MS Society" above your team name. If it's made out to you, please endorse the check payable to the National MS Society. Please write your name, event and event year on the memo line of every check you turn in (e.g., "Craig Edward, Walk MS: Indianapolis 2022") – whether through the app or mail.
Electronically Deposit a Check Donation
Download the Walk MS app on your phone or tablet and click on “Enter Donations” to upload a check. Your donations will be immediately reflected in your fundraising thermometer.
Mailing Donations
Mail your donations (made out to National MS Society) with a completed Donation Tracking form to your local office.
National MS Society
ATTN: Walk MS
Find your local office address here.Donor Receipts
Per IRS regulations, donors will receive a receipt for offline donations of $100 or more via postal mail if the contribution qualifies for a tax deduction. Receipts are typically sent via USPS within two weeks of the date of deposit by the Society. Online donors receive a receipt via email regardless of contribution amount. Any receipt requests can be sent to FundraisingSupport@nmss.org.
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Matching Gifts Guide
Matching Gifts Overview
The Basics
A matching gift is a gift from a donor's employer that matches the donor's original gift, often dollar-for-dollar. You can significantly increase your fundraising by asking your donors to apply for matching gifts if their employer offers them.
How Matching Gifts Work
Donors must submit the appropriate information to their company regarding matching gifts for their donation. The company may reach out to us to confirm the donation was made and our staff will send confirmation to the donor's company. Once we receive the matching gift check, we will credit the amount to your fundraising. Please remember, this process may take some time depending on how frequently companies pay out charitable donations. However, if we have received the matching gift paperwork by the fundraising deadline, we will include the pending donation in your fundraising total.
Steps to Submitting a Matching Gift
- Search for Employer’s Matching Gift Program
To find out if your employer has a matching gift program, search below, ask your human resources staff or visit your company's intranet.
- Request a Matching Gift
Talk to your employer about their matching gift process. Generally, your human resources department is a great place to start. - Send a Matching Gift Form
Refer to the instructions on the matching gift form from your employer. If you need to mail or email the form to us, please use the following information (please include participant's name and event with your matching gift form):
Email: MatchingGifts@nmss.org
Mailing Address:
National MS Society
Attn: Matching Gifts
733 Third Avenue, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10017Our Tax ID# is 13-5661935.
Track Your Matching Gift
Check the Progress section of your Fundraising Center. It usually takes months before we receive matching gifts; however, you will still receive credit for matching gifts for prize purposes – just make sure the gift shows as “pending” in your fundraising totals.
If the gift is not yet showing as “pending” on your fundraising totals, please save the confirmation provided by the company when you submitted the matching gift request and email MatchingGifts@nmss.org.
- Search for Employer’s Matching Gift Program