How You Can Support the USS Potomac
Individual Giving
As a nonprofit organization, the USS Potomac Association depends upon contributions to help preserve, maintain and protect the USS Potomac and its student educational programs. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
The USS Potomac Association is not a government entity or associated with a political party and, with the exception of a small paid staff and crew, is largely volunteer-driven. In addition to revenue from public cruises and charters, the Potomac greatly depends on donations to fulfill its mission as a historical legacy to the FDR era, one of the most consequential periods in American history.
Thank You for Your Support!
Three Ways to Make Your Donation
Donations are accepted on-line or by mailing a check or by phone.
Donations can be made as a one-time gift, as a recurring gift, and/or in tribaute to a loved one or friend.
To make your donation by phone, please call and speak to a Potomac staff member at (510) 627-1215.
Please mail donations to
USS Potomac Association
540 Water Street
Oakland, CA 94607
Matching Gifts Through Your Employer
Check with your company’s Human Resources Dept. to see if your employer will match the donation you would like to make to the Potomac, and how that is processed. Oftentimes, your donation can be made with a payroll deduction and then your company sends a matching donation to the Potomac. Matching gifts can be made one-time or can be made recurring, depending upon how you set them up.
Legacy Giving
You may be interested in making a gift through your will or trust by naming the USS Potomac Association as a beneficiary in your estate plans. Through this method, you can leave a lasting family legacy of support to this important artifact of American history long into the future. By including the USS Potomac Association in your will or planned giving documents, you ensure the continuation of our history and educational programs and the care of the USS Potomac.
Giving Through Your IRA’s Required Minimum Distribution
If you are age 72 and above, the IRS requires that you take a withdrawal (a Required Minimum Distribution) from your employer-sponsored retirement account every year. For some people, this can result in paying much higher income taxes. But there is a way to avoid this and help the Potomac too.
Did you know that the IRS allows you to donate a portion or all of your RMD to a qualified charity, such as the Potomac Association, up to $100,000 a year? You receive an immediate tax deduction. For example, if your distribution is $5,000 and you donate $3,000 to a qualified (501(c)3) charity, you only pay taxes on the remaining $2,000. Please consult your financial advisor to see if this is a good option for you first and then call the Potomac at (510) 627-1215 if you have any questions and/or would like to help.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are the backbone of the USS Potomac. You’ll find volunteers greeting the public in the Visitor’s Center, working on our maintenance team, or as a docent leading tours of the ship or on cruises. We have opportunities for just about everyone, and you earn passes for cruises through your volunteer hours.
If you are interested in learning more about volunteering for the Potomac, please call (510) 627-1215 or email friends@usspotomac.org.
How Your Support Makes A Difference
Our commitment to providing educational cruise opportunities for students and others is steadfast. However, repairs, maintenance and continuing restoration of a historical ship like the Presidential Yacht USS Potomac present an ongoing need for funding. See below how your support makes a difference:
Dry Docking every 30 months
Sponsor 200 students on a Potomac cruise, or support one dry docking day
Sponsor 100 students on a Potomac cruise, or support one-half dry docking day
Sponsor 50 students on a Potomac cruise, or support one-quarter dry docking day
Sponsor 10 students on a Potomac cruise or support our dry-docking fund
Sponsor five students on a Potomac cruise or support our dry docking fund
Gifts up to $500 support our student cruise program and dry docking fund
The USS Potomac Association Thanks You for Your Continuing Support
Our Corporate and Foundation Supporters
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 853