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  • 1.  Deductibility of gifts to a hosted conference non-University run

    Posted 09-18-2023 04:04 PM

    A faculty at our school is hosting a global conference that occurs every 3-4 years. The conference does not have its own bank account but transfers a rolling balance of funds raised and ticket costs from the hosting university to the next hosting university. The expectation is that any incoming funding belong to "the conference" and rollover would be expected transferred if we are not the next host. Conference sponsors have requested a donation receipt from our university in exchange for their sponsorship.  My thought is that these sponsorships (and additional donations) would not receive a tax receipt from our University. I'm interested in seeing what others think. 



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    Jayme Fancher
    San Diego State University
    jfancher@sdsu.edu
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  • 2.  RE: Deductibility of gifts to a hosted conference non-University run

    Posted 09-18-2023 04:29 PM
    I agree with you. You are acting on behalf of the "global conference" and are not receiving any funds for the purpose of fulfilling your mission. And the sponsors are supporting ISNAMH and not you. I further suspect that ISNAMH is cultivating sponsorships as well.

    ISNAMH needs to obtain a tax ID to claim nonprofit status and issue receipts that support its mission.

    John

    John H. Taylor
    Principal
    John H. Taylor Consulting, LLC
    2604 Sevier St.
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  • 3.  RE: Deductibility of gifts to a hosted conference non-University run

    Posted 09-19-2023 10:08 AM
    Jayme (and John) - 

    If this conference didn't somehow tie to the mission of the institution then I'm wondering why you would be hosting it at your university. Is this conference providing a learning opportunity which is open to university faculty, staff and students that relates to their respective role with the university? Are these sponsorships intended to underwrite and cover the costs associated with the university hosting this academic event? Is it possible that whichever site is hosting the event be acting as an official "agent" for the international conference community and therefore open the possibility that sponsorship revenue - to the extent that it might be tax deductible - be recorded and receipted as contribution revenue?

    I could see if this was somehow being arranged as a complete pass through for the university in which scenario they are serving essentially as a bank with no overlapping engagement or activity relating to academia, but somehow this conference doesn't strike me as being completely non-related to university mission. I could, of course, be completely wrong on this but I'm curious to hear more thoughts...

    -Amy

    Amy J. Phillips
    Director of Advancement Services, Gift Acceptance
    Division of University Advancement
    The Catholic University of America
    620 Michigan Avenue, USCCB 166
    Washington, DC 20064
    Phone: 202-319-6919







  • 4.  RE: Deductibility of gifts to a hosted conference non-University run

    Posted 09-19-2023 12:05 PM
    I think my answer depends on whether the conference is a legal entity at all. If it is not a legal entity, then putting aside all other issues, I would say that you are the entitiy putting on the conference, your receipt of funds from another university is in essence a grant, and conference sponsors are making a donation or qualified sponsorship payment to you. Your decision to roll the overage to the next host is also a grant, from your org to theirs. I view it in this light because there simply isn't some other entity to whom the activity can reasonably be attributed. 

    If the conference is a legal entity, but hasn't opened a bank account, then I agree with John's analysis that you're essentially doing them a favor, and you cannot issue receipts to sponsors because they're not sponsoring you. 


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