Wedding and Gift Registries

A wedding is among life’s happiest occasions, and your family and friends want to celebrate your marriage with a thoughtful gift from your registry. Many couples create charitable registries and ask wedding guests to give to a cause that they believe in, like cancer research, either in addition to or in lieu of traditional gifts.

Of course, weddings aren't the only special occasions in a person's life. Birthdays, anniversaries, bar and bat mitvahs, reunions, festivals, parties, and many special events may call for a charitable gift registry of sorts. There are several ways to support the Cancer Research Institute on your special occasion.

Request Donations in Lieu of Gifts
Make Donations in Lieu of Party Favors
Create a Birthday Fundraiser on Facebook

Request Donations in Lieu of Gifts

Create a dedicated webpage as your charitable gift registry through our fundraising platform. Upload a profile photo, set a fundraising goal, describe why CRI is your charity of choice, track donations, and update guests with text, pictures, and videos. Once you have created your CRI fundraising page, tell your guests about it through invitations or emails, or by listing it on a personalized wedding website. These websites—which can be set up through companies such as Wedding Window and eWedding—inform guests about the logistics of your big day (accommodations, travel, etc.), as well as your gift registry preferences. It is also possible to list multiple gift registries on your website, allowing your guests to choose from a range of charitable and/or traditional gifts.

Create a Charitable Registry Fundraiser

If you don't wish to create a dedicated fundraising page, donations can be made on the one-time donation form on the CRI website. Guests can note that their gift has been made in your honor and you can be notified when someone makes a gift (if the donors choose this option). Guests can also call or mail their donations. Alternatively, leave notes at your guests’ place settings asking them to consider making a future donation to the Cancer Research Institute.

Bookmark CRI Donation Page

Make donations in lieu of party favors

Instead of buying party favors for your guests, make a donation to the Cancer Research Institute in their honor on the CRI website (or by phone or mail). You can choose to notify the honoree when the donation is made, or leave notes at your guests’ place settings.

Donate Now

Create a Birthday Fundraiser on Facebook

Create a fundraiser for your special occasion directly on Facebook. Your guests can give directly through a donate button on the social networking site and leave messages on your fundraiser wall.

Create a Facebook Fundraiser

Fundraisers and donations are a great way to celebrate those moments in life worth remembering and dedicating to a greater cause. By asking your guests to support the Cancer Research Institute, you will be making a substantial contribution to the discovery and development of powerful immunotherapies for all types of cancer. We are dedicated to funding laboratory and clinical research aimed at harnessing our immune system’s power to treat and potentially cure all cancers. This revolutionary new class of cancer treatments is already giving millions of cancer patients a better chance at living longer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can donate to CRI?

Anyone who has an interest in helping to advance the fight against cancer is encouraged to donate to CRI. Individuals can make cash donations and also include CRI in their estate planning or planned giving. Corporations and foundations also can make donations.

Are there tax benefits for donating to CRI?

CRI is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, so your donations are deductible for federal or state tax purposes as allowed by law. Planned giving, which can encompass bequests and gift annuities, may offer other tax or financial planning advantages as well.

In 2020, U.S. taxpayers can take advantage of new charitable giving incentives in the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Taxpayers who do not itemize their returns may receive a tax deduction of up to $300 for cash donations to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Taxpayers who itemize returns may now deduct up to 100% of their Adjusted Gross Income on cash donations. Corporations may now deduct up to 25% of taxable income. Please consult your tax advisor for more information.

Why is CRI a good choice for my charitable support?

Through our strategic programs, CRI is leading global efforts to bring new immune-based treatments to patients sooner. Our focus on immunotherapy – which is applicable in the treatment of almost all types of cancer – means our donors are making an impact in the lives of more cancer patients. We are proud to have one of the lowest overhead expense ratios among nonprofit organizations. Historically, between 85 and 90 cents of every dollar donated to us goes to our research and medical education programs.

How do "charity watchdog" organizations rate CRI?

We consistently earn high marks from charity watchdog organizations, including an A or higher from the American Institute of Philanthropy. We are also a proud member of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, the most rigorous evaluator of charity activity with 20 standards of accountability and ethical practice. We have 4 out of 4 stars from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest and most utilized evaluator of charities; an A grade from Charity Watch; and a Platinum Participant Seal from GuideStar.