UA/01 - Gift Solicitation and Fundraising Policy

Effective June 18, 2015

I. Executive Summary

To achieve its vision of excellence and augment state appropriations, California State University, Stanislaus actively raises funds. This is vital to the growth of CSU Stanislaus as a regional university. The University intends to carry out the donors’ intentions respecting all gifts in a manner that provides the greatest benefit to the University and enhances the University’s reputation and attractiveness as a recipient of such gifts. To this end, all fundraising solicitations must meet federal, state and local legal requirements; fund raising solicitation materials must be accurate and truthful; and fund raising must be conducted in a professional manner. 

II. Purpose of Policy

The University’s fundraising programs focus on integrating the interests of donors with the priorities of the University. All University units and all members of the University community are encouraged to identify and to assist in soliciting gifts and donations from prospective donors. A coordinated fundraising effort will help achieve the following common objectives:

• To maximize the gift potential of CSU Stanislaus and to increase the probability of securing the largest possible gifts from prospective donors.
• To facilitate engagement opportunities with prospective donors.
• To maximize engagement of fund raising volunteers.
• To optimize engagement of University leaders.
• To maximize use of the prospect management system to measure effectiveness.
• To promote an environment in which information is shared among interested parties, and solicitation strategies are developed with a sense of the donors’ multiple interests.
• To promote integrated fund raising efforts among academic and non-academic units and centralized development department staff (e.g., among college deans, the athletic director, faculty, staff, students, University administration and staff).
• To ensure that the University complies with legal requirements governing the processing of gifts, bequests and donations and to support the Division of University Advancement’s efforts to fulfill legal requirements requiring the acceptance, recording, acknowledgment and reporting of all gifts, bequests and donations to the University.

III. Authority

• The President is responsible for oversight of the university advancement function as described in the Standing Orders of the Board of Trustees.
• The President is authorized by the Chancellor of the California State University (Executive Order 676) to evaluate and accept gifts, bequests, and donations of personal property to campus. The President is authorized to accept gifts of interests in real property to campus on behalf of the Board of Trustees when acceptance has been authorized by a resolution of the Board of Trustees or is part of an approved campus master plan. The President may further delegate this authority in whole or in part to campus officers and employees. 

IV. Definitions

• Solicitations: Solicitation is the act of requesting gifts, bequests, and donations of personal property or real property for any University purpose. This policy addresses solicitations for gifts, bequests and donations of personal property (e.g., jewelry, art, collections, gift baskets, gift certificates, sports items, prizes, equipment, supplies, auction items) from previous, current, and new donors. This includes solicitations to individual and business/organization prospects and alumni by any means, including mass appeals and fundraising events.
• Charitable Contributions: A pledge or gift of anything of value of the charitable organization, where the value of the pledge or gift exceeds the value of anything received in return.
• Charitable Organization: An organization classified as a California nonprofit public benefit corporation or has received federal tax exemption under the Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3), is a charity.
• Fund raising Events: Events conducted for the sole or primary purpose of raising charitable funds where participants make a charitable contribution and a purchase for the fair market value of goods or services. Common examples of fundraising events are: Auctions, raffles, concerts, dinners, golf tournaments and similar activities.
• Fund raising Activities: Fund raising activities are solicitation and related prospecting activities intended to generate a contribution and no purchase of goods or services. Common examples of fund raising activities are: Direct mail appeals, electronic appeals, phone and personal solicitations, requests for event giveaways, sponsorship appeals, fundraising events, capital campaigns, and annual campaigns.
• Gifts: A contribution received by the University for the benefit of the University for either unrestricted or restricted use in furtherance of the University’s mission and which requires nothing in exchange beyond an assurance that the intent of the contribution shall be honored. If a donor receives benefits in return for a contribution, the amount of the gift recorded and reported is reduced by the fair market value of all benefits given in accordance with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations. Common examples of gifts are pledges, money, sponsorships, awards for scholarships, negotiable securities, gifts-in-kind (such as gift baskets, gift certificates, sport items, equipment, prizes, supplies, auction items, and the like) and real property. Payments for goods or services are considered operating revenue and may not be counted as gifts. 
• Bequests: Gifts identified for the University in individuals’ estate plans.

V. Scope

• This policy governs (1) all fund raising activities that benefit the University and (2) all other fund raising activities that occur on campus but are not for the benefit of the University.
• This policy applies to all campus personnel, administrators, faculty, staff, students, recognized student organizations, auxiliary organizations, vendors and visitors.
• This policy does not apply to any case in which there is an exchange of dollars for goods or services where the goods or services are of equal or greater value than the funds received. Common examples of such exceptions are car washes, bake sales and similar activities.

VI. Policy

• Solicitation and Fundraising Efforts to Benefit the University
  1. The President or President’s designee(s) establishes the University’s fund raising priorities.
  2. All solicitation and fund raising activities to benefit the University, whether conducted on campus or off campus, or by University units or individuals or non­University entities or individuals, are subject to the approval by the President or President’s designee(s) and coordinated through the Division of University Advancement.
  3. The Vice President for University Advancement or designee(s) is responsible for the leadership and coordination of the University’s fund raising efforts and all solicitations materials, and the advancement and coordination of the University’s fundraising priorities.
  4. Proposals to conduct solicitations and fund raising activities should be submitted for review to the Vice President for University Advancement or designee(s), in accordance with the Standards for Gift Solicitation and Fundraising Manual.
  5. Students, registered University student organizations, staff, faculty, University departments and offices, University auxiliary organizations, administration and outside groups and individuals may raise funds for the benefit of the University or one of its units if they complete the appropriate application process through the Division of University Advancement, consistent with the established Standards for Gift Solicitation and Fundraising Manual and receive approval to conduct the fundraising activity. Fund raising shall be for the benefit of the University’s mission.
  6. The Vice President for University Advancement or designee(s) shall ensure that all applicable federal, state, and local legal requirements are met, and that the solicitations and fund raising efforts are in accordance with the mission of the University and are otherwise consistent with University policies and guidelines before approval may be granted. Approval may be conditioned, and compliance with any conditions, federal, state, and local legal requirements, and University policies and guidelines must be continued or approval may be withdrawn. 
  7. Although advance approval for solicitation is required, all University units and all members of the University community are encouraged to identify and to assist in soliciting gifts and donations from prospective donors. In order to ensure that solicitations are made in a manner that will best serve the interests of the University as a whole and will not conflict with other solicitations being conducted or planned by the University, the Division of University Advancement will review all proposed plans for solicitation and all proposed solicitation materials prior to implementation.
• Gift Acceptance and Processing
  1. The acceptance of gifts, bequests, and donations of personal property and real property are subject to the approval of the President or President’s designee(s). No office, department, entity or individual may accept a gift, bequest or donation of personal property or real property that is intended to benefit the University without explicit written approval from the President or President’s designee(s).
  2. All offers of gifts, bequests, and donations of personal property should be directed to the Vice President for University Advancement or designee(s).
  3. All gifts of personal property in support of the goals, missions, and programs of California State University, Stanislaus are made to the University through the California State University, Stanislaus Foundation (Foundation), an auxiliary of the University with 501(c)(3) status. The CSU Stanislaus Foundation is subject to the policies and procedures of California State University, Stanislaus and the California State University. The Foundation administers the gifts and bequests for the benefit of the University.
  4. The CSU Stanislaus Foundation may only take acceptance of gifts, bequests, and donations of personal property once acceptance is approved by the University President (who also serves as the Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors) or President’s designee(s).
  5. The Vice President for University Advancement is responsible for ensuring the proper evaluation, acceptance, recording, acknowledgment, reporting and directing of all gifts, bequests and donations of personal property for the University to the Foundation, including gifts for all academic and non-academic units, following procedures defined in the Standards for Gift Processing Manual.
  6. While the IRS requires a receipt to substantiate most charitable gift deductions, it is the University’s practice is to issue receipts for all gifts. University Advancement Services is responsible for issuing all gift receipts. Individuals and other units may not receipt gifts but are encouraged to acknowledge them (as through a thank you note). It is the donor’s responsibility to retain the gift receipt in his/her records. In any case in which there is an exchange of dollars for goods or services of equal or greater value, gifts receipts will not be issued. Common examples of exchanges that will not be gift receipted are car washes, bake sales and similar activities. 
• Other Fundraising on Campus
  1. Solicitation and fund raising efforts that are not for the benefit of the University are also subject to the approval of the President or President’s designee(s) and may not be conducted on campus except with that approval. Approval is coordinated through the Division of University Advancement.
  2. Proposals to conduct such solicitations and fundraising activities should be submitted for review to the Vice President for University Advancement or designee(s), in accordance with the Standards for Gift Solicitation and Fundraising Manual.
  3. When not for the direct benefit of the University (as for example charitable causes, humanitarian causes, disaster relief and similar causes), students, registered University student organizations, staff, faculty, University departments and offices, University auxiliary organizations, administration and outside groups and individuals may fundraise if they complete the appropriate application process through the Division of University Advancement and receive approval to conduct the fundraising activity, consistent with the established Standards for Gift Solicitation and
     Fundraising Manual.
  4. The Vice President for University Advancement or designee(s) shall ensure that all applicable federal, state, and local legal requirements are met, and that they solicitations and fund raising efforts are in accordance with the mission of the University and are otherwise consistent with University policies and guidelines before approval may be granted. Approval may be conditioned, and compliance with any conditions, federal, state, and local legal requirements, and University policies and guidelines must be continued or approval may be withdrawn.
• Exceptions. Only the President or President’s designee(s) may grant exceptions to this policy.

VII. Corresponding Procedures and Guidelines

• Standards for Gift Solicitation and Fund raising Manual
• Standards for Gift Processing Manual

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