John,
Thanks, this is helpful validation of the direction we're headed in. We don't deposit unknown gifts, but do have the wire/stock transfer problem. I'm definitely leaning as heavily as I can on the "send it back" mentality, while trying to balance the expressed donor relations concerns of others in the department (although I personally believe that sending it back as fast as possible is the best donor relations as it's the quickest way to let an unknown donor know something isn't right).
As a point of reference for anyone else that happens across this thread in the future, we are incorporating the "automatic" move of undesignated gifts to pre-determined defaults (after an agreed upon time and with notification to the donor).
Thanks again.
Sean
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Sean Shappell
Asst. Vice President, Information Services
Lehigh University
ses211@lehigh.edu------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 09-27-2022 12:51 PM
From: John Taylor
Subject: Unidentified Donors and Unknown Gift Purposes
Well, for starters, I would not deposit anything unless you do not know who it is from. Stock and wire transfers should be electronically refused and returned asking for more information.
As for unknown purposes, what works best is a monthly review of "suspense" accounts, ensuring you have evidence that the DO is working with the donor.
I have visited a few institutions that went one step further and had a policy that, after notifying the donor, would automatically move the undesignated gift to either the annual fund or a quasi-endowment after a certain number of months or the end of the fiscal year.
John
John H. Taylor
Principal
John H. Taylor Consulting, LLC
2604 Sevier St.
Durham, NC 27705
919.816.5903 (cell/text)
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Original Message:
Sent: 9/27/2022 1:29:00 PM
From: Sean Shappell
Subject: Unidentified Donors and Unknown Gift Purposes
All,
In response to an audit finding, we are working on developing a more formal policy on how to handle unidentified donors and unknown gift purposes. I'm hoping that anyone who has a specific policy on this (or a specific section of their gift acceptance policy) they feel works particularly well would be willing to share.
Thanks.
Sean
------------------------------
Sean Shappell
Asst. Vice President, Information Services
Lehigh University
ses211@lehigh.edu
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