Donors without borders: charity-affiliated trips

6. What can I expect to do on a typical trip?
On most donor trips, you'll get insider access. At a hospital, you'll meet doctors and patients and tour the facilities. If it's a building project, you'll get to speak to staff and recipients. Expect to travel a lot, often on bumpy roads, to reach the sites. Many organizers include tourist sights—the Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat—for a break from what can be an intense experience.

7. Can I also find these trips within the U.S.?
A handful of organizations offer domestic trips. Aside from its international expeditions, the Earthwatch Institute lets donors participate in conservation projects in the U.S. if they give at least $400. The Humane Society has trips to places such as Yellowstone National Park, where the organization is working to protect a herd of endangered buffalo.

8. How should I prepare?
Kari Hammett-Caster of Unitus, a nonprofit that organizes donor trips to India, advises people to familiarize themselves with the region's politics and cultural norms, including appropriate attire. "Recipients will often wear their best clothes to greet donors," she says. "It's a good idea to put on something nicer than jeans." And be ready to answer lots of questions—some of them personal. Carol has been asked about her kids, how many motorbikes she owns, and about the U.S. government. "Just remember to answer with a smile," she says.

9. What if I want to give more money when I'm there?
"We encourage people to make the biggest difference they can with their dollars," Hammett-Caster says. "Our donations aren't a handout, they're a hand up. Giving money randomly defeats the purpose." If you're hoping to make additional contributions on-site, notify organizers ahead of time, because charities usually have specific needs. Global Community Service Foundation founder Marcia Selva just sent a group of doctors to Myanmar who wanted to donate extra cash in honor of a friend's birthday. "We had finished building a clinic there, and they needed beds," Selva says. "I got in touch with our people on the ground, and the doctors were able to present the beds in person to the clinic."

10. Is the trip tax-deductible?
You can't claim a deduction for travel expenses. And donations made on-site are tax-deductible only for charities approved by the Internal Revenue Service (for a list, go to irs.gov) that can provide you with a statement confirming that no goods or services were provided in return for the contribution. However, most foreign charities don't qualify for the IRS program, so your best bet is to donate to a charity in the U.S. that sponsors international projects.

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