Topic: How to donate instruments/worthy organization?

[bigignatz]

I'm curious if anybody has run into a similar situation...and this might be a question for a tax lawyer, while still being blues-related. I'm getting ready to leave the US, hopefully for good, with the first couple of years doing video/audio  work towards documenting
 endangered musical traditions. Over the years I've built up a pretty big collection of oddball guitars and other instruments, most of which are for sale now but not moving; I suppose the vintage market is in the crapper right now. So here's a two part question:
1. Are there any organizations that work with kids in resource poor areas to keep blues traditions alive that people could recommend, that might really appreciate getting some period-appropriate stuff and who will put it to good use?
2. Has anybody donated instruments before, and had it work out on their taxes, or find some other way to leverage the donation to make it financially tenable for somebody like me (e.g. broke filmmaker)?
Thanks very much in advance for any suggestions...and anybody tempted to jokingly call themselves a "charity"...I'll just have to cut you off at the pass here.
Joe Frank

[Slack]

Cannot remember where you are located, but the state of Texas. Has a non profit set up for what you describe. The page describes their license plate program, it is a 501 c3

https://gov.texas.gov/music/page/main

[harriet]

For non cash tax deductible donations over $500 there's an IRS Form 8283. You might want to take a look at the tax form as to their requirements for appraisal and institutions - I am in NY and a bunch of places came up when I typed in "donate musical instruments NYC", perhaps similar in your area.

If the place you decide on is going to resell then there's special requirements for selling CITES protected woods.  I have a guitar at Elderly and their form had a part where you could decide whether you wanted to wait 6 months for the paperwork for a sale outside the US, which is why I mention it.

Good luck,
Harriet

[oddenda]

There's always the MMRF in NC. They got my stash!

pbl

[DerZauberer]

If you have great instruments, the big specialized dealers will sell on consignment - sure, they take their cut, but they cover a big market hence achieve good prices usually. I'm thinking the likes of Emerald City Guitars in Seattle, or Elderly Instruments, etc.

If they agree to sell the guitars, I probably would do just that, and then donate the money to a worthy cause. Better to give 10 aspiring musicians a $300 guitar than give a $3,000 guitar to one lucky kid.

If the instruments are not in the high vintage worthy category, they WILL move if the price and advertising is right (Reverb.com, ebay if necessary) ... you might not get what you think they're worth, but you'll get what other people are willing to pay. Again, take the money you can get and donate.

Otherwise, it's really a case of finding a trustworthy organisation with individuals of high integrity... if you're getting nice stuff as donations, there is high temptation to sell on and keep the profit (or part of it) yourself. So I'd be sceptical, but maybe that's just me?