Gateway Financial Group, via the Pittsburgh Foundation, is unveiling a new way to give to charities, using gift cards just like those offered at regular retail outlets.

Companies often send around form letters this time of year, thanking their best clients for their business and tucking something else inside. For years Gateway has donated in their names to charity.

"Our clients don't need another box of candy, or a ham, or anything like that," chief executive officer David Malone explained.

This year they are doing it differently. In a pilot program to test a similar system used by the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, the Pittsburgh Foundation issued Gateway $50 charity giving cards that its clients can then issue to the charities of their choice. People can either hand over the cards directly to charities or have the foundation issue them the money.

Foundation president Grant Oliphant said the cards were simply a "cool idea" that should resonate with charity supporters citywide. Once the foundation works out the technology needed to track the cards and sell them on its Web site, it will let other companies and individuals purchase them, probably sometime this spring. As of now, the 100 cards it created for Gateway are all tracked by hand.

The cards simply make gift-giving easier, too, the Kansas City foundation explains on its site. "Let's review: Order a Giving Card, get a tax deduction, never worry about finding the perfect gift!"

Mr. Oliphant said the foundation is in talks to offer the charity cards next year at Giant Eagle.

Mr. Malone is the chairman of YouthPlaces, which promotes mentoring and career-readiness for at-risk youth, and serves on many other nonprofit boards.