Donate to NARA
Every dollar goes into amateur radio: teaching it, defending its spectrum and handing it on to the next operator.
Your gift pays for the work, not the overhead
The National Amateur Radio Alliance is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Charity ID 39-2868923. Nobody here draws a salary, so donations go straight into programs. What our charitable status means.
Choose a fund and an amount, give once or every month, and pay with PayPal, a debit or credit card, or Venmo. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law, and a receipt is emailed to you straight away.
How we thank donors
Two sets of milestones, whatever fund you choose: the Beacon Club for what you give in a year, and Founders Society for everything you have ever given. See ways of giving for the milestones and what each one carries.
Donors whose lifetime giving reaches $5,000 are recognized as Pioneer donors, wear a star in their member portal, and — only if they ask us to — are thanked by name on our Founders Society page.
Other ways to give
- By check, payable to National Amateur Radio Alliance — ask us where to send it.
- Through your employer’s matching gift program.
- By becoming a member, which funds the same work year round.
- From a donor-advised fund, an IRA, stock or a bequest — see charitable giving.
What your giving reads
Whatever you give here counts toward two milestones at once: the Beacon Club, which is what you give inside one calendar year and reads S5 at $100 through S9 +30 at $5,000; and Founders Society, everything you have ever given, recognized from $5,000.
Members watch both needles in the member portal, with a certificate, a donor card and a year-end statement to download. Membership dues count toward no milestone. How the milestones work.
1. Choose a fund
2. Choose an amount
Monthly gifts are charged by PayPal on the same day each month. You can stop them any time from your PayPal account — see the auto-renewal terms.
3. Tell us who you are (optional)
Leave blank if you are not licensed.
Lets us credit the gift to your membership. Not required to give.
Listed with your callsign after it. Leave blank to use the name on your PayPal account.
4. Give
Payment is handled by PayPal; we never see your card details.
Thank you
Your gift is in, and PayPal has emailed your receipt. It goes to work straight away — thank you for supporting amateur radio.
Your monthly gift is set up and PayPal has emailed the confirmation. It will be charged on this day each month until you stop it — thank you for standing behind amateur radio all year.
Where your donation can go
Pick any of these when you give. If you would rather we decide, leave it on the General Fund.
General Fund
Keeps the lights on: the website, insurance, filings and the day-to-day work of running a national organization.
Outreach + Education
License classes, club presentations, school and scout programs, and the teaching material behind them.
Spectrum Defense
Protecting amateur allocations: regulatory filings, comments and the technical work they rest on.
Online Services
Our online work: the amateur radio wiki, whatishamradio.com, usnara.org, the member portal and the cloud services behind them.
Scholarship
Awards for young operators continuing their education, and help with exam and equipment costs.