How to Donate to Projects
 Updated: 01/09/2006

How to Use Peace Corps Panama Friends
for Donations to Your Projects
  • Suppose you, a volunteer, know of a great, but unfunded, project in Panama.
  • Suppose you have friends or relatives back home who want to contribute cash to your project.
  • How can you channel the cash from friends and family to the project?

Donations can be channeled through Peace Corps Panama Friends (PCPF), the alumni group of Peace Corps Panama, so that U.S. donors can deduct the contribution from their federal income tax return.   Here’s how:
Step 1: Volunteer
The project volunteer sends the following to the PCPF Treasurer:
  • Project Description
    Prepare a project description that helps PCPF determine that the project will help accomplish the objectives of Peace Corps.
    Give the project a unique name.
  • Payment Instructions
    Prepare payment instructions to the PCPF Treasurer explaining where in Panama to mail the check, and to whom it should be made payable.
    If possible, include an email address for faster communications about payments. 
Step 2: PCPF Treasurer
  • Within five days of receiving a Project Description, the PCPF Treasurer will determine whether the project fits PCPF and Peace Corps’ objectives.
  • The PCPF Treasurer will notify the project volunteer by letter, by notice on the PCPF website (www.pcpfpanama.org/donations.html), and, if possible, by email. 
Step 3: Donors
Donors should send donations to the PCPF Treasurer at the address below.
  • Make checks payable to Peace Corps Panama Friends.
  • Specify  the project name and include donor’s name and address.

PCPF will send an acknowledgment letter to donors to substantiate the tax deduction. 

Step 4: Volunteer
  • If the project volunteer sends the donors anything of value in return for the donations, the PCPF Treasurer must be informed of the value of such items.   The value will be stated in the letter sent by the PCPF Treasurer to acknowledge the donation.
    •
  • If PCPF has transferred $1,000 or more to a single project, and the project volunteer wants PCPF to continue to channel donations, the volunteer must send a progress report to PCPF explaining how the money channeled by PCPF was spent.  
Step 5: Peace Corps Panama Staff
If PCPF has transferred $3,000 or more to a single project, and the project volunteer wants PCPF to continue to channel donations, a Peace Corps Panama staff member must send written confirmation to the PCPF Treasurer that the funds sent so far are being used for the intended purpose.

All materials related to projects and donations should be mailed or emailed to the PCPF Treasurer:

Jerry Lutes
21 Farm Haven Court
Rockville, Maryland 20852-4231

Email address: jlutesPCPFhntbcom