Frequently Asked Questions

A donation is a one-time payment and may go towards either a specific fund or towards the general fund of the Cathedral for use wherever the need is greatest. While these are greatly appreciated, what we really need are pledges.

A pledge is a financial commitment for a specific calendar year. At the beginning of the year, you indicate what amount you plan to give to the Cathedral for the upcoming year. During the year, you fulfill that promise.

Pledges, currently accounting for 40% of our funding, are vital revenue for the maintenance and operation of our Cathedral and its programs. We do not receive financial support from the Diocese, the National Episcopal Church, the French government, or any other entity. Our operating budget is based on the amount of pledges we receive each year.

Giving to the Cathedral is both a mark of invested membership—pledging members may vote on matters considered at our annual meeting—and a necessity for the continued operations of our ministries. It is at once spiritual and practical.

Yes. The Cathedral is a non-profit religious association (or Association Cultuelle) as defined by the 1905 French by-laws. Therefore, contributions are deductible for income tax treatment in France to the fullest extent permitted by law. A tax receipt will be sent to you.

In France, individual donors receive an income tax credit equal to 66% of the amount of your gift for contributions up to a maximum of 20% of your total taxable income. Companies which support non-profit associations can deduct 60% of their contribution for donations inferior or equal to 2M€ or 40% for donations that are more than 2M€ from their French corporate taxes depending on the amount of their total revenue (see article 238 bis no.1 of the tax laws).

Donors who are US taxpayers may prefer to give through the Foundation, a US-based 501(c) 3 non-profit organization that is authorized to issue receipts that provide tax relief on US tax returns. Your tax advisor will be able to provide guidance on which organization is the most tax effective for your personal situation.

Scripture encourages proportionate giving, with the scriptural tithe (10% of one’s income) as a goal. However, the amount you give is up to you, and can increase or decrease as your financial situation allows. No gift is too small.

Pledging is easy—just visit our pledge page and fill out a pledge form. Your personal information will remain strictly confidential.

You may either fulfill your pledge all at once or space it out over the calendar year—many people fulfill their pledge weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Some even set up a regular payment schedule.

We ask parishioners to pledge in October or November so that our operating budget for the following calendar year will be sustainable. Payments are not expected before January.

We welcome payments via cash, card, bank transfer, check, or even gifts of appreciated stock. We welcome payments in both Euros (€) and US Dollars ($).

For your pledge balance, please contact the Stewardship Ministry Co-Chair at pledge@americancathedral.org.