Outside Fundraising Policy
PURPOSE
The Division of University Advancement is responsible for the management of all fundraising activities at The University of Scranton. This policy establishes guidelines to ensure that those in the University community who engage in fundraising activities work through appropriate University leadership and the Division of University Advancement for coordination, approval and support.
This policy ensures compliance with local, state, and federal regulations in regard to gift solicitation, acceptance, and acknowledgment. It further ensures proper cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation management of all donors and the prioritization of institutional fundraising needs in accordance with the University’s educational mission.
Faculty, staff, students, clubs and organizations who desire to solicit gifts on behalf of the University should review this policy and must submit a fundraising request to the Office of Annual Giving using this form.
Please note: University Advancement will not support fundraising efforts that involve an exchange of goods or services, such as t-shirt sales, candy bar sales, raffle tickets, etc. These donations are not tax deductible. Proceeds from this type of effort can be deposited directly through the Bursar's Office.
Before submitting your request, please review the information below.
I. Getting Started
The faculty, staff member, student, club or organization proposing a fundraising effort should receive initial approval from the department head or club coordinator before approaching University Advancement.
a. All faculty fundraising efforts need approval by the college Dean and Provost
b. All staff or departmental fundraising efforts need approval by their Divisional Vice President
c. All athletic team fundraising activities need approval by the Director of Athletics
d. All student fundraising activities need approval by the staff/faculty advisor and the Coordinator for Student Clubs and Organizations
The Office of Annual Giving will:
a. Determine the timing of the solicitation to ensure the proposed activity would not jeopardize previously
established funding priorities and that the donor(s) will be most receptive to the request
b. Assist in determining the target audience, solicitation method, and funding for the cost of the solicitations
c. Allocate divisional resources to assist in the solicitation as appropriate
d. Determine the appropriate acknowledgment and stewardship efforts for a given
project and may assign specific tasks to the fund-raising organization
II. Methodology
Lists
All mailing lists, phone lists, and email lists must be developed with the Office of Annual Giving to ensure compliance with all regulatory bodies and adherence to donor-requested exclusion codes and exceptions.
Fundraising Methods
The Office of Annual Giving will provide fundraising options for your project such as letters, personalized online giving pages, emails, and inclusion in the annual Day of Giving campaign. Audience for your outreach will be discussed. Social sharing on the University’s pages or the Alumni Society’s pages will be up to the discretion of staff.
Local Businesses
The University has existing relationships with many local businesses and there may be a funding agreement already in place. For this reason, prior to approaching local businesses for cash contributions, a list of businesses you plan to solicit must be provided to Advancement and approved. Any contributions should be directed to University Advancement as specified below.
Depositing Gifts
A fund code from the Treasurer’s office must be shared with the Office of Annual Giving prior to any fundraising activity efforts. This ensures that any gifts collected are placed in the correct account.
Gifts received in response to an approved fundraising initiative must be submitted to University Advancement within 48 hours. Please provide all mailed documentation and the original envelope.
Giving by Check
All solicitations should include the instructions “Checks are made payable to The University of Scranton.” A donor’s wish to fund a specific designation or project is honored by notation in the memo line or by including the check with the appropriately marked pledge card.
All return envelopes must be addressed to:
University Advancement
The University of Scranton
800 Linden Street
Scranton, PA 18510
Credit Card Donations
All credit card donations must be directed to a University-owned online giving page. If a dedicated giving page has not been created for the fundraising project, the main giving page www.scranton.edu/makeagift can be used and a donor can indicate the project they are supporting in the “other” field on the web form.
Cash Donations
All cash gifts should be delivered during the business hours of 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. to the Director of Advancement Operations on the 4th Floor of Brown Hall. Gifts should include the donor’s name, address, and phone number to allow for proper tax receipting, and email is also preferred but not required. Please do not leave gifts unattended. If no one is available to assist you, please email annualgiving@scranton.edu or call 570-941-7725 to set up a time to deliver the donations.
III. Gift Processing
The office responsible for the fundraising project must honor all requests from donors who wish to remain anonymous. This important donor information must be forwarded to the Director of Advancement Operations, who will ensure that the donor’s request for anonymity is honored.
All donor information will remain confidential and is the property of The University of Scranton. Donor information and donor lists must not be shared with anyone.
The University adheres to the Internal Revenue Code section that sets the reporting requirements for gifts.
IV. Acknowledgments
Although the IRS stipulates that donations under $250 do not need to be acknowledged in writing, it is the policy of the University to provide tax receipts for gifts over $10. In addition, the University sends a signed acknowledgment letter for all gifts restricted to an endowment regardless of amount. Any questions regarding acknowledgment requirements should be directed to University Advancement.
Tax receipts cannot be issued for the purchase of a lottery ticket or any kind of chance. IRS rules state clearly that these are not tax deductible gifts.
V. Ethics
The University of Scranton endorses the Donor Bill of Rights, a public statement developed and endorsed by the American Association of Fund Raising Counsel (AAFRC), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Additional information is available from the Division of University Advancement or at www.nsfre.org.
Original: January 2008, Revised October 2018