The UAH Office of Development (“Development Office”) is responsible for overseeing the entire development process, including the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of sources of support for the University, and the acknowledgment and documentation of this support. +4+All efforts to raise funding from private sources, including corporations, foundations, and individuals, must be coordinated with the Development Office.

Anyone seeking to approach potential funding sources must speak to the Development Office prior to initiation of a written request for solicitation approval. This office will assess the timing and appropriateness of the solicitation, as well as which dean, department chair, supervisor, or student advisor to contact to make certain that the request has received approval at the appropriate level.

The University and its staff do not provide legal, accounting, tax, or other advice to prospective donors. In all cases, donors wishing to make a gift to the University should consult with their tax advisor to ensure that the terms of the gift conform to Internal Revenue Service regulations regarding tax-deductible charitable donations.

All gifts made to the University are subject to the institution’s giving policies available on the UAH website.

Seeking sponsorships: Sponsorships are financial contributions given in support of an event, activity or project. If the company receives what constitutes advertising due to the donation, the funding is not tax deductible. Simple name or logo placement is not advertising. (Due to the complex nature of differentiating between a gift and a sponsorship, please seek the advice of the Development Office prior to any discussions or creation of materials.)

Seeking grants: Grants that can be classified as gifts do not have any deliverables attached to the funding and would come through the Development Office rather than through the Contracts and Grants Office. These grants could include but are not limited to grants from private foundations or corporations. Many of these grants have restrictions on application cycles and funding opportunities. Prior to initiation of a grant request, please contact the Development Office to see if there is an active solicitation in progress.

Crowdfunding: The Office of the Vice President of University Advancement does not support the use of crowdfunding platforms such as GoFundMe, Network for Good, Crowdrise, etc. UAH has a Give Online page that can be utilized by faculty, staff, clubs, and organizations to complete online giving. Unlike crowdfunding platforms, the Development Office does not remove any fees from online gifts, so the full amount of the gift is applied to the program, project, or organization. UAH is also able to record the gift and provide a receipt for tax purposes.

Gifts from UAH Faculty and Staff: UAH employees and members of their families may make tax-deductible gifts to the University to support approved University priorities, including student financial aid, faculty and research support, and the construction or renovation of facilities.

The University refrains from accepting gifts from employees or their immediate family members for accounts directly controlled by those employees, or for accounts for which the employee is fiscally responsible. Alternative avenues for giving to the University may be available; please contact the Development Office for details. Additionally, please contact the Development Office prior to giving or receiving in-kind donations to the University.

To qualify as a charitable tax-deductible donation, a donor must relinquish dominion and control over any gift. Thus, certain restrictions placed on a donation may impair the donor’s ability to qualify for a tax deduction. This is particularly an issue if a gift is earmarked for a particular individual; if there is a commitment or understanding that the gift or contribution will only be used for a designated beneficiary; or if the intent of the donor is to benefit himself or herself and not the University.

Registered Student Organization Fundraising: Before soliciting funds, registered student organizations are required to contact UAH's Office of Student Life to share their intentions to fundraise and ensure adherence to the fundraising guidelines issued by Office of Student Life. When approval is given by the Office of Student Life to seek funding, a student organization must complete the Fundraising Request Form and receive subsequent approval from the Development Office before the organization can approach the designated individuals or companies. This requirement is to eliminate any potential conflict with current funders or potential outstanding solicitations. For information about restrictions on crowdfunding, please see the Procedures and Guidelines section above. All registered student organizations with annual fundraising needs/goals of more than $5,000 must follow ALL procedures set forth in this policy (not just those within this paragraph).

Solicitations cannot be made for external 501(c)(3) organizations using the UAH name; provided that the UAH Foundation may use the UAH name for fundraising activities for the benefit of UAH pursuant to a written affiliation agreement. This includes national chapters of sororities/fraternities and external charitable organizations. Fraternity/sorority fundraising efforts for their individual philanthropies do not come through UAH, and UAH cannot accept gifts from student groups when those gifts will be directed to other 501(c)(3) organizations.

Media Coverage/Publicity for gifts: Prior to submitting a request to the Office of Marketing and Communications for media coverage or publicity of a UAH donor gift or donation, contact the Development Office to discuss donor requests for check presentations, photos, or news article.