New York is holding nearly $18 million in taxpayer-funded donations intended for charitable causes, according to a recent report from the state comptroller's office. The funds, collected through voluntary tax return "checkoffs," remain unspent, prompting criticism from state officials.
State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli called the situation "unacceptable," urging the agencies responsible for managing these funds to ensure the contributions are utilized for their intended purposes. The report highlights that millions of dollars in charitable contributions have been left idle for years.
Among the untouched funds is approximately $2.3 million designated for the Volunteer Firefighting and Emergency Services Recruitment and Retention fund, with about $300,000 of that amount coming from 2025 tax returns. The "Gifts for Food Banks" fund also holds $1.1 million that has not been disbursed since 2024, despite Governor Kathy Hochul's declaration of a state of emergency for food insecurity during a federal government shutdown last year.
According to the report, seven of the state's top 10 charity funds with the highest balances at the end of the fiscal year ending in June had no disbursements in the 2026 fiscal year.
State Senator Jake Ashby, an Afghanistan war veteran, expressed dismay over the unspent funds, particularly highlighting that $1.7 million in donations for homeless veteran services had been held up for the past two years. While he acknowledged that the state eventually released these funds following his calls, he criticized the administration's oversight.
"These are donations from New Yorkers' pockets at a time when economic realities are harsh, but they're still giving generously," Ashby stated. "So it's despicable that the state, the level of incompetence, would not allow these funds to go where they needed it to."