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  • 1.  Is this a Gift?

    Posted 09-27-2022 04:39 PM
    Had a Faculty member go out and buy food and beverages for a homecoming event. He is now submitting those receipts and would like those items to be a donation to the University. I have never been this situation. If it is a gift would it matter if he attended the event?

    Thanks for your help.
    Liz

    ------------------------------
    Liz Arizpe
    Director of Advancement Services
    Valparaiso University
    liz.arizpe@valpo.edu
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Is this a Gift?

    Posted 09-27-2022 11:50 PM
    Who did he feed?  Everyone who attended homecoming?  If so, great.  But if this was for an invitation-only or private event, there is no gift.

    John

    John H. Taylor
    Principal
    John H. Taylor Consulting, LLC
    2604 Sevier St.
    Durham, NC   27705
    919.816.5903 (cell/text)

    Serving the Advancement Community Since 1987




    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Is this a Gift?

    Posted 09-28-2022 06:32 AM
    John,

    Thank you for your response. I'm not sure I understand why if it is a public or private event makes a difference. Is it because he is the donor and also deciding who is attending the event?

    Liz




    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Is this a Gift?

    Posted 09-28-2022 06:46 AM
    If it is a private event it only benefits select individuals rather than the entire community rendering the contribution as non- deductible.

    John H. Taylor 
    919.816.5903 (Cell/Text)

    Big Ideas; Small Keyboard



    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Is this a Gift?

    Posted 09-28-2022 07:35 AM

    What if a donor hosts a fundraising event for a select group of donors and fundraisers, pays for the event and then submits the receipts to be recorded as a Gift of Service (GIK) donation.  Am I understanding correctly that this is actually not a tax-deductible gift?

     

    Margaret (Peggy) McGraw

    Special Gifts Administrator

    The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

     

    Phone:  (757) 565-8605

    Email:     mmcgraw@cwf.org

     

    Our Mission:  That the future may learn from the past.

     




    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Is this a Gift?

    Posted 09-28-2022 07:42 AM
    Probably not.  It would be very difficult to separate personal benefit from a mission-related priority.

    For any cultivation or solicitation activity, employees of the institution should lead the activity and pay for it from their budgeted or allocated resources.  If a donor wishes to donate to the general fund as a way of helping defray costs after the fact, that's cool.

    You could direct a donor to coordinate and conduct your event for you.  You could then justify a GIK.  But that is messy both for you and them.  In that case, it would still be best if you reimbursed the donor and then encouraged them to make a gift to the annual fund.

    John

    John

    John H. Taylor
    Principal
    John H. Taylor Consulting, LLC
    2604 Sevier St.
    Durham, NC   27705
    919.816.5903 (cell/text)

    Serving the Advancement Community Since 1987





    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Is this a Gift?

    Posted 09-28-2022 09:16 AM
    Thanks John!




    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Is this a Gift?

    Posted 09-29-2022 09:57 AM

    This doesn't make sense to me, John. Valid expenses incurred by fundraising volunteers are deductible, and we would likely book what's described below. Here, our process is that someone above me must tell me that the expense is a mission-related valid University expense. We put that with the backup for audit purposes and roll ahead.

     

     

    Aaron Forrest CPA

    Senior Director Gift and Donor Services

    University of Rochester Office of Advancement

    585.275.2799 | aaron.forrest@rochester.edu

     




    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Is this a Gift?

    Posted 09-29-2022 10:07 AM
    I did not mean to say that reimbursed "valid fundraising expenses" were not deductible.  I was more concerned about a random faculty member throwing a private party - and THEN trying to write it off as a gift.

    At many institutions serving as a host for an official fundraising event requires prior approval.  But, then, if it is an official institutional activity, they should be using a corporate credit card anyway!

    John

    John H. Taylor
    Principal
    John H. Taylor Consulting, LLC
    2604 Sevier St.
    Durham, NC   27705
    919.816.5903 (cell/text)

    Serving the Advancement Community Since 1987





    Original Message


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