Questions about donations arise in associations mostly in two areas. The first is whether an association may accept a donation from members or anyone else, either during the donor’s lifetime or as a bequest. The second is whether an association can make donations to particular organizations or causes. The answers to both questions are often dependent on what, if anything, the governing documents of the association happen to say the association must, may or may not do. In the first case, there may also be an issue of whether accepting the gift will trigger some obligation on the part of the association to pay taxes on the gift. In the second case, there may also be an effect on the association’s tax exempt status. In both cases, an association should consult both with its accountant about the tax implications and with its legal counsel about whether the action is permissible under its governing documents and the law.