Can my corporation donate money to charity?

That may seem like an odd question, but it used to be the case that the law viewed corporations as being formed solely to make profits for their shareholders, such that a corporation had no authority to make gifts of its property or funds to charity. But the law has changed so that corporations are now explicitly authorized to make donations for charitable and other purposes, even if the donation does not result in a specific benefit to the corporation, other than increasing its goodwill in the community. See Cal. Corp. Code § 207(e). The financial interests of shareholders are still protected, however, in that there is a reasonable limit on charitable giving, so that a philanthropically inclined president cannot bankrupt the corporation by making excessive pledges to charitable enterprises.