October 1, 2007

Ashby-Deans’ Monthly meeting

Development Guidelines and Procedures

Gifts (Note: Major gifts ($20,000 or more) require donor agreements)

Gifts easy to accept:

  • Cash or check
  • Wills that name ISU as a “first level” beneficiary (ISU benefits when individual passes)
  • Publicly traded securities (stocks or bonds)
  • Life insurance that names ISU owner and beneficiary and that is paid up.
  • IRA distributions

Gifts requiring extra preparation and care:

  • Gifts that involve real property need approval early in the process. Foundation will sell property unless extraordinary circumstances are involved.
  • Gifts that involve naming require approval prior to presenting naming opportunity to donor.
  • Gifts in-kind (e.g. software; hardware; tickets)
  • Gifts of personal property (e.g art, manuscripts, books)
  • Charitable Remainder Trusts and Charitable lead Trusts
  • Charitable Gift Annuities
  • Retirement plans (e.g. IRAs, tax-sheltered annuities)

Less desirable (but may be acceptable) gifts:

  • Wills that name ISU as a “second level” beneficiary (ISU benefits when someone else named in the will passes) (Foundation may not “recognize” these gifts)
  • Life insurance that is not paid up
  • Life insurance that names ISU as a “second level” beneficiary (ISU benefits if someone else named in the life insurance is no longer living when donor passes) (Foundation may not “recognize” these gifts)

Gifts that cannot be accepted:

  • Gifts that “eat”
  • Pooled Income Funds agreements
  • Unpaid up life insurance with a long payment schedule and/or not accompanied by a plan for the donor to continue payments.
  • Life insurance that does not name Illinois State University Foundation as owner and beneficiary of the policy
  • Gifts of services (these gifts will be tracked for relationship purposes only)

Endowments:

  • Scholarships require $20,000 for endowment.
  • Other endowment amounts are attached (Benefactor Naming of Funds, Positions and Programs Policy of Illinois State University Foundation)
  • All endowment accounts must be “whole” within 5 years of opening.

Leadership

  • State Farm, Caterpillar, ADM, John Deere, Country Companies and other major corporations are “coordinated asks” that span years. If an opportunity seems to appear, talk to VP of UA before pursuing. (See attachment)
  • Make your own gift first. Talk about it.
  • The executive portfolio is for your benefit. Support it. (See attachment)
  • Build you own executive portfolio. Work with your development director. Have the list approved by Executive Director of Development, Joy Hutchcraft.
  • Create a development plan for your college.Balance your college wish list with donors’ interests.
  • Tie your college website into “giving to ISU” and promote giving in some way on you website and in other publications.
  • Encourage and support the annual fund/Telefund.
  • Leverage every possible “development” opportunity, including making visits around previously planned travel and obligations (e.g. conferences, meeting “friends” at football tents, planning receptions/dinners around events you already plan to attend).
  • Encourage matching gifts by participating companies employing donors and/or their spouses.

Management:

  • Direct all correspondence related to gifts or pledges to Campus Box 8000. Discourage checks coming directly to an office in your college or even directly to your development director.
  • Find a way to thank every donor to your college.
  • Avoid special mail campaigns unless you have a plan and UA knows about it and is helping you with it. Work with your Development Director and get approval from Executive Director of Development, Joy Hutchcraft, before you get far in the planning process. Use letters if you want small gifts.Use face to face if you want major gifts ($20,000 or more).
  • Do not solicit via email.
  • Plan at least one day a month to call on prospects with your development director.
  • File contact reports (see attachment).
  • Make sure that all disbursements that should happen do happen (e.g. scholarships).
  • Report all scholarship recipients and amounts to financial aid as soon as they are confirmed.
  • Name scholarship winners during the semester prior to the actual award of the scholarship.
  • Direct all scholarship awards to Student Accounts unless circumstances are extraordinary. Do not give checks directly to scholarship recipients.

When in doubt, call to ask:

Alumni Stephanie Epp 8-2586

Data and Gift Processing Jill Jones 8-3135

Development/Fundraising (including Telefund)Joy Hutchcraft 8-8041

Donor Relations and Recognition/Stewardship/Kathy Alexander 8-5711

FinancialBill Fanning 8-8901

Internal Campaign/Employees Barbara Todd 8-2592

Marketing/Publications 8-8404

Completely Confused Dianne Ashby 8-7681