Ways to Give
YEAR END GIVING 2024
As we near the end of the year, we would like to recognize our donors and grantors and their generosity to support and strengthen the University and its students. You continue to demonstrate the strong philanthropic spirit that empowers North Texas.
To assist you with carrying out your philanthropic goals, please consider making your year-end gift early, prior to December 20, 2024.
For non-cash gifts, please contact the UNT Foundation by December 13, 2024.
UNT and UNT Foundation, Inc. will be closed for winter break from December 23, 2024 through January 1, 2025.
Your gift counts. Your generous donations of time and money enable our students to pursue their educational dreams. Every gift made to the University of North Texas helps the University advance toward new standards of excellence in teaching and research. Whether you give annually to support your college, establish a scholarship endowment, or make a bequest to the University, there is a giving opportunity and method to match every interest, at every level.
While unrestricted gifts intended for use in meeting the University's most pressing needs are of course greatly appreciated, most donors prefer to designate their gifts to particular programs.
Undesignated gifts are typically placed in an account controlled by the University’s President, who is in the best position to establish spending priorities based upon the overall situation at the institution.
Donors may designate their gifts in a variety of ways depending upon their interests and philanthropic goals;
• Designate a specific academic college or department or program (e.g., College of Visual Arts and Design or Educational Psychology Department or One O' Clock Lab Band)
• Designate a specific non-academic area (e.g., Women's Golf Team or Library Collections or Student Health & Wellness Center)
• Designate a specific purpose (e.g., scholarships or capital equipment or travel)
The University of North Texas Division of Advancement's Development Officers are prepared to work with donors to accomplish their giving goals in a manner that satisfies University rules and regulations, as well as those of the IRS.
Endowments
The UNT Foundation is proud to support the University of North Texas’ educational mission by investing endowment assets and distributing funds to the University for scholarships, fellowships, and other beneficial purposes. Endowments are valued by the University as a consistent source of perpetual funding that has multi-generational impact. Donors may choose to contribute to an existing endowment or create a new one.
Matching Gifts
Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match any charitable contributions made by their employees. If your company is eligible, request a matching gift form from your employer. Then send it, completed and signed, with your gift. We will do the rest. The impact of your gift to this organization may be doubled or possibly tripled! Some companies will even match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses.
Planned/Estate Gifts
Planned giving, sometimes referred to as gift planning, may be defined as a method of supporting nonprofits and charities that enables philanthropic individuals or donors to make larger gifts than they could make from their income. While some planned gifts provide a life-long income to the donor, others use estate and tax planning techniques to provide for charity and other heirs in ways that maximize the gift and/or minimize its impact on the donor's estate. Thus, by definition, a planned gift is any major gift made in lifetime or at death as part of a donor’s overall financial and/or estate planning.
Gifts of Cash
Cash gifts are the most common and popular means of supporting the UNT Foundation. Making a cash gift is quick and easy, and it helps provide needed funds immediately. You can make a gift online through our secure page by clicking the green “Give Now” button at the top of the screen. Or you can make checks payable to the University of North Texas Foundation. Indicate on the memo line the specific program you wish to support (for example: scholarships, endowed chairs, etc.). If no program is specified, your gift will support the University of North Texas’ Inspire Fund.
We provide the convenience of fulfilling a commitment over a period of time through multiple credit card payments or automatic pre-authorized withdrawals from your checking account (ACH). Please call the University of North Texas Division of Advancement Office at 940-369-8200 to arrange multiple credit card payments.
If you would like to send your gift through ACH to the UNT Foundation, please use the following information:
ACH Cash Gifts*
To: Wells Fargo
ABA: 111900659
DDA Account: 5690433342
Account Name: UNT Foundation, Inc.
FBO: (Insert instructional information such as endowment account name here)
If you would like to send your gift via WIRE TRANSFER to the UNT Foundation, please use the following information:
Wiring Cash Gifts*
To: Wells Fargo
ABA: 121000248
DDA Account: 5690433342
Account Name: UNT Foundation, Inc.
FBO: (Insert instructional information such as endowment account name here)
*To ensure proper handling of cash deposits, please contact Karen Raitz, UNT Foundation CFO, at karen.raitz@unt.edu or call 940-565-4555 prior to initiating any wire transactions.
Gifts of Securities
Consider investing in the University of North Texas Foundation. Your gift of securities, especially appreciated stock, offers two tax-smart advantages—a charitable income tax deduction and the elimination of a capital gains tax. There are three ways to transfer securities to the UNT Foundation: electronic transfer, U.S. Postal Service, or hand delivery.
Donor Advised Funds
A Donor Advised Fund is often referred to as a personal charitable savings account. A donor creates an account with a sponsoring organization, which can be a nonprofit or an investment company. The donor then makes a contribution of cash, stock, or other assets like real estate and artwork, and can take an immediate tax deduction for the gift. An adviser manages and invests the assets and works with the donor to identify charitable causes they wish to support.
If you have a donor-advised fund, you can direct funds from your account to the University of North Texas Foundation to support a cause you are passionate about at the University of North Texas.
A gift directed from a donor-advised fund is subject to IRS charitable gift restrictions. Gifts that provide an incidental benefit to the donor will not be accepted. IRS restrictions also prohibit grants from donor-advised funds that will be used to pay a donor’s binding pledge.
U.S. Postal Service and Hand Delivery of Certificates
You (or the registered certificate holder) should complete the back of the certificate(s), assigning the appropriate number of shares to the University of North Texas Foundation. Place the unendorsed certificate(s) and a cover letter (including your name, address, and purpose of the gift) in one envelope. In a second envelope, place a signed, signature guaranteed, Stock Power Form (you can obtain one from your broker or local bank). The Stock Power Form must be signed, but do not complete the form. Send the two envelopes using registered mail or drop them by the UNT Foundation’s office. We’d enjoy meeting you and will provide you with a receipt for the securities.
The Foundation’s MAILING (different from physical address) is:
UNT Foundation
1155 Union Circle, #311250
Denton, TX 76203-5017
The Foundation’s PHYSICAL address for delivery is:
UNT Foundation
801 North Texas Blvd., Suite 149
Denton, TX 76203
For tax purposes, the date of the gift is the date on which the UNT Foundation assumes complete control of the securities. For securities sent through the mail, the gift date is the postmark date on the envelope. For hand-delivered and non-U.S. Postal Service, the credit date is the date received. For securities held in an account, it is the day it was transferred into our account. The donor receives a full credit of the mean value of the stock on the gift date. The UNT Foundation’s policy is to sell the securities as soon as possible and apply the funds to the purpose specified by you.
Gifts of Stock
Donors transfer ownership of their securities to the UNT Foundation to create endowments or current project support at the University of North Texas. By transferring publicly traded stock to the UNT Foundation, donors bypass all capital gains and receive a charitable deduction for the average of the high and low values of the security on the date of transfer.
If you make a gift of stock, please notify Wes Davis, UNT Foundation Controller, at wesley.davis@unt.edu and provide the following information:
• Your name and address (for processing and receipting purposes)
• Contact number where you can be reached
• Stock name and number of shares
• Purpose of gift - program designation to be credited for the gift
How a Donor Makes a Gift of Stock Held in "Street Name" at Their Brokerage
• Donor instructs their broker to electronically transfer ("DTC") whole or fractional shares to the Foundation's account at Charles Schwab Co., Inc.; 1945 Northwestern Drive, El Paso, TX, 79912; DTC number 0164, Code 40; using account number 7258-9171. (Please do not indicate on your broker’s gift form that you wish to make the gift “anonymously.” This makes it difficult for the UNT Foundation to properly identify the donor in the event the Foundation is not contacted otherwise. )
• Donor receives confirmation of the transfer from their broker, and an official receipt from the University of North Texas
Contacts:
Karen Raitz, CFO
karen.raitz@unt.edu
UNT Foundation (940) 565-4555
Schwab Service Team (Broker for the UNT Foundation, Inc.)
(877) 774-3892
How a Donor Makes a Gift of Stock over the Internet
• Donor contacts the UNT Foundation for its Charles Schwab account number (7258-9171), and the Charles Schwab DTC number (0164) and code (40)
• Donor implements electronic transfer instructions using their brokerage house website
• Donor receives confirmation of the transfer from their brokerage account, and an official receipt from the University of North Texas
How a Donor Makes a Gift of Stock Certificate(s) That They Are Holding
In Person:
• Donors obtain from their broker or the UNT Foundation office a Third-Party Release (TPR) and a Stock Power Form for each certificate gifted
• Donors bring (a) the completed and signed TPR and Stock Power Form, and (b) their unsigned certificate(s) to the UNT Foundation office
If Mailed:
• Donors obtain from their broker or the UNT Foundation office a Third-Party Release (TPR) and a Stock Power Form for each certificate gifted
• Donors send the signed TPR and Stock Power Form to the UNT Foundation office
• Under separate cover, donors send their unsigned certificate(s) to the UNT Foundation office
Donors will receive confirmation of the transfer from the UNT Foundation, and an official receipt from the University of North Texas.
The UNT Foundation uses the IRS prescribed method for calculating the value of a stock gift.
"The value of stocks and bonds is the FMV of a share or bond on the valuation date." (IRS Publication 561)
"If there is an active market for the contributed stocks or bonds on a stock exchange, in an over-the-counter market, or elsewhere, the FMV of each share or bond is the average price between the highest and lowest quoted selling price on the valuation date. For example, if the highest selling price for a share was $11, and the lowest $9, the average price is $10. You get the average price by adding $11 and $9 and dividing the sum by 2." (IRS Publication 561)
For more information on valuations of Stocks and Bonds, see IRS Publication 561 by clicking here.
GIFTS OF CAPITAL ASSETS
It may be to your financial advantage to give a gift of capital assets. Capital assets include real estate, art collections, insurance policies, antiques, jewelry, stamp/coin collections, etc. The advantage of a capital assets gift depends on your circumstances. For example, your estate assets may be distributed over your lifetime in order to reduce future estate taxes.
CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY
It may be to your financial advantage to give a gift of capital assets. Capital assets include real estate, art collections, insurance policies, antiques, jewelry, stamp/coin collections, etc. The advantage of a capital assets gift depends on your circumstances. For example, your estate assets may be distributed over your lifetime in order to reduce future estate taxes.
CHARITABLE LEAD TRUST
A charitable lead trust is a managed trust that enables you to transfer assets to your heirs at reduced gift and estate tax costs and transfer the full appreciated value of assets to beneficiaries with no further gift and estate tax at the termination of the trust. A charitable lead trust pays an annuity or a fixed percentage of the assets to the UNT Foundation for a specified number of years. At the end of this period, the assets are passed on to the beneficiaries named by the donor.
LIFE INSURANCE
You may name the UNT Foundation as an irrevocable primary or contingent beneficiary (should the primary not survive you) of a new or fully paid life insurance policy. The policy’s cash value at the time of donation is deductible as a charitable contribution. You may also continue paying the premiums after donating a policy, in which case the premiums are tax deductible as well.
BEQUESTS
Bequests often establish a named gift fund (scholarship, memorial fund, etc.) honoring the memory of yourself or a loved one while assisting the University of North Texas with its programs in an area of your choosing. In addition to leaving a legacy at the University, naming the UNT Foundation as a beneficiary (or contingent beneficiary) in your will (or your spouse’s will) can reduce the amount of federal estate tax your heirs are assessed.