FundSvcs Community

Hi Everyone,

Our development team is creating a Giving Circle, and one of the "access and recognition" items listed is an "Invitation to an annual donor reception."

One view is that this is considered a stewardship event, and we are not selling tickets or charging anyone to attend, therefore it is not a benefit that we need to reduce the tax-deductibility of their contribution by. 

Another is that is is a clear membership "benefit" that the donor expects and we are obligated to provide. That rules it out as "surprise and delight" stewardship, meaning it is something the donor is receiving in return, and we should account for it as such. 

I am thinking we will end up changing the language, but what is your take if we don't?  Is there a value that should be deducted?

Thank you!! 

We often face this same question at my organization, thank you for posting.

I received the following question today: If an annual donor reception invitation states that the event is open to all but is only emailed to donors of a certain level, do we satisfy the open to the entire community requirement (if the event is free)? 

I think the invitation process needs to be the same for all, by excluding the invitation for some, how would those individuals know they are even invited. I appreciate any feedback. Thanks!  

Thank you for sharing!

What about an appreciation event that is not listed as a "benefit" or "perk" and is not promised or qpq, but (what I would consider) stewardship, such as a reception for scholarship award recipients, and we invite the donor so they can meet the recipient of the scholarship they or their family funded. We don't always have these events, and they are not promised as a condition of a gift. 

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Michele Whitaker
Baton Rouge Community College Foundation
[whitakerm@mybrcc.edu]
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Thanks for your insight!