Journal
Art donations and the 501(c)(3) requirement
A qualified charitable-contribution appraisal assumes the donee is typically a 501(c)(3). A gift to the wrong entity is a different transaction.
A fine art appraisal written for a charitable income-tax deduction assumes the recipient is a qualified donee — typically a 501(c)(3) organization. A generous gift to some other kind of entity may still change hands. It is not the assignment Form 8283 is built for.
Status before value
Exemption can lapse. A local group that does good work may never have had it. Counsel confirms status before anyone inspects the painting. Size is not the test. Status is.
The donee cannot appraise the gift
IRS rules treat the receiving institution as a prohibited appraiser of the property it is accepting. The independent appraiser may speak with the institution about accession and condition, and still has to set fair market value independently.
Fractional gifts
Fractional gifts and gifts of a partial interest are scoped by counsel. Fees stay hourly or flat. A percentage of the claimed deduction is a prohibited contingency.