Solicitation And Accepting Donations: 8.00

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

PURPOSE

This procedure establishes guidelines for solicitation and acceptance of donations to Hillsborough Community College (HCC).

PROCEDURE

A coordinated and professional fundraising effort is critical for successfully securing the greatest support from benefactors and prospective donors. The District Board of Trustees has designated Hillsborough Community College Foundation (HCCF), Inc., as the primary recipient of all gifts and donations to HCC. However, the President is responsible for and will control all fund-raising activities of the College and ensure that these activities further the College’s mission.

These guidelines are intended to maximize solicitation efforts, effectively utilize resources of the College and avoid unintended competition among campuses/units; and to carry out the intention of donors of gifts. Further, these guidelines ensure that the mission of the HCCF is consistent with that of HCC.

1. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR—The Executive Director of the HCCF is engaged in professional fundraising activities and provides solicitation, consultation and other related services to maximize private gifts and donations for the benefit of HCC. Each unit of the College, student clubs and individuals are encouraged to raise funds for their program or organization by coordinating with the Executive Director of the HCCF. However, each employee, student, group or organization is responsible for following these procedures.
2. DEFINITION—This procedure relates to written or oral requests or solicitation of gifts of cash, grants, goods, services, securities, real estate, and planned gifts/bequests by employees or students on behalf of the institution. Donations include all irrevocable and legally enforceable transactions, including cash gifts, grants, pledges, bequest expectancies and property received as private, charitable support. Donations are voluntary transfers of money or property with the donor expecting and receiving no goods, services or other benefits.

   Campus or district-wide fundraising activities and events involving sales, raffles and other related activities should refer to Operating Manual Fundraising.

3. SOLICITATIONS—The following procedural guidelines will apply to solicitations on behalf of the College:
   
   1. The Executive Director of the HCCF shall plan, direct, coordinate and conduct activities for soliciting funds from private sources and shall pre-approve all solicitation activities and gift acceptance carried out by individuals and organizations on behalf of HCC.
   2. All requests for funds or property donations should relate to the College’s mission and must be incorporated in the institution’s planning process.
   3. Persons planning solicitations of cash, services or property gifts from individuals, corporations, foundations or other organizations for the benefit of Hillsborough Community College, its programs, campuses, clubs or students should contact the Executive Director of the HCCF in advance to coordinate activities. The Executive Director may have knowledge of other College entities, including the HCCF, planning solicitations or approaches in progress to prospects and donors. Coordination is intended to serve College priorities, prevent duplicate requests, assure solicitations are properly planned and professional and insure solicitations for more substantial gifts are not diminished or distracted.
   4. With prior approval from the District President, Campus President or Designee, students clubs and organizations may conduct fundraising events to support club activities and approved projects. When the event/activity involves private funds, in-kind donations or services that involve the solicitation and/or acceptance of donations, the administrator will direct the requestor to coordinate with the Executive Director of the HCCF.
4. DONATIONS—The following procedural guidelines will apply to donations offered to the College:
   
   1. The HCCF is organized and operated exclusively to receive, hold, invest and administer property and to make expenditures to, and for the benefit of HCC. All gifts and donations to the College shall be managed, distributed and utilized by the Foundation in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the College and the Foundation to assure accountability to the donor and the public that supports the College.
   2. Employees, students and organizations of HCC who receive an offer of a gift or cash donation or receive unsolicited cash gifts or donations should contact the Executive Director of the HCCF for consultation on how the institution can accept the donation, if appropriate.
   3. When received, cash gifts are deposited and recorded by the Foundation and a letter of appreciation serving as a receipt for the gift is sent to donors, in accordance with Internal Revenue Service requirements. College staff wishing to formally thank donors for a gift should send the correspondence to the Executive Director to be included with the Foundation’s gift acknowledgement.
   4. When an offer for a non-cash (in-kind) gift is received, the potential donor should be referred to the Executive Director of the HCCF to determine, in coordination with the appropriate College administrator, whether the donation is usable for a particular department or unit of the College. Upon confirmation of a department or unit to receive and utilize the donated item(s), facility and maintenance staff will be contacted to determine how and when the item will be delivered or picked up and where it will be stored. No goods or property should be accepted by any HCC employee until the process is completed. The Foundation will inform the donor of the intention to accept the item; or if not accepted.
      1. For non-cash gifts exceeding $25,000 in value, the Executive Director of the HCCF will prepare an agenda item for the next meeting of the District Board of Trustees to report the donation.
      2. The Foundation will acknowledge the receipt of the gift to the donor and thank him/her for the in-kind donation (without stating a value). College staff wishing to formally thank donors for a gift should send the correspondence to the Executive Director to be included with the Foundation’s gift acknowledgement.

History:

Adopted: 7/1/1973; Revised: 09//73; 05/05/75; 12/07/89; 02/23/93; 08/20/96; 03/20/13; Formerly: 5.005