XII. Fundraising

• XII.A. Role of the Binghamton University Foundation
• XII.B. Coordination of Request for Proposals to Approach External Constituencies for Fundraising
• XII.C. Fundraising Policies and Procedures
• XII.D. On-Campus Solicitations and/or Not-For-Profit Organizations

XII.A. Role of the Binghamton University Foundation

The Foundation of the State University of New York at Binghamton is the official fundraising organization of the institution and exists to encourage greater private support of the University. It is a not-for-profit corporation whose sole beneficiary is Binghamton University. Contributions to it are tax deductible as allowed by law. Gifts from individuals (alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students, community members, friends, etc.), foundations and corporations - defined as the University’s constituents - are solicited and used to finance University programs for which other funds may not be available. The Foundation manages and allocates gift funds, and is also a repository for gifts of tangible property, such as works of art and books.

The Foundation accepts both unrestricted and restricted gifts. Unrestricted gifts are used where the needs of the University are the greatest - for example, student aid, scholarships, academic awards, graduate fellowships, faculty recruitment, undergraduate research, admissions programs, and alumni and Foundation programs. Restricted gifts are used as the donor stipulates; the only control the Foundation exercises over restricted gifts is whether they further the goals of the University and whether they can be administered in accordance with good business practices. The Foundation recognizes individuals, foundations or corporations, as required by the donor(s), so long as requests for such recognition are considered reasonable. Gifts “in memory of” or “in honor of” are also accepted, with appropriate recognition.

XII.B. Coordination of Request for Proposals to Approach External Constituencies for Fundraising

1. Policy

It is the policy of Binghamton University that no solicitation of funds or property shall be made by anyone or any agency of the institution, other than through the two campus organizations designated for these purposes: the Binghamton University Foundation or the Research Foundation for the State University of New York.

2. Charitable Foundations and Corporations

The senior supervising director of foundation relations in the Office of Development will be the first point of contact for faculty and staff interested in approaching corporations and foundations for charitable contributions. If the project is of a contractual nature involving commitments of University facilities and personnel, it may be referred to the Office of Sponsored Programs in the Research Foundation. Applications that will go to public funding sources such as NEH and NEA which have a private fundraising component, such as the challenge grant programs at these agencies, should be directed to the vice president for advancement. 

3. Research and Sponsored Programs

All applications for external support of research and other sponsored programs are to be endorsed by the operations manager or a designee of the Research Foundation for the State University of New York, using the approved University procedures. Generally a sponsored program results from a sponsor solicitation, is directed at specific objectives in a stated area of scholarship for a given term, and requires deliverables of commercial benefit, control of intellectual property, and financial and technical reports. When any project includes the need for IRB review, intellectual property control, specifies considerable reporting requirements (technical or financial), or where the sponsor retains the right to review how the effort is undertaken, it should be administered by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York.

4. Other Constituents

All applications, solicitations or requests for donations which are intended for consideration by alumni, parents, faculty and staff, businesses, corporations, foundations or friends of the University must be cleared by the vice president for advancement.

Any dean, department chair, director, faculty or staff member who wishes to undertake any type of solicitation, fundraising program or request for support in the name of the University from alumni, students, parents, faculty and staff, businesses, industry, government, foundations or friends, or who seeks to establish a fundraising program, including “Associates,” “Friends” or similar groups, must follow the Binghamton University Foundation guidelines established for this purpose.

XII.C. Fundraising Policies and Procedures

1. Any request to undertake a fundraising program or solicitation of contributions from University constituents as defined above must be fully endorsed by means of a Special Fundraising Initiative Approval Form. An individual initiating a request from an academic department is responsible for securing the endorsement of the appropriate dean before submitting the request to the Foundation for review by the vice president for advancement. Alumni networks (as defined by the Alumni Association’s criteria for an alumni network), student groups and non-academic departments must also secure the endorsement of the vice president. The vice president for advancement, in consultation with the president, provides final approval for all fundraising requests. Included in this category are the following:
   1. Special fundraising efforts, including fundraising events appealing to the University’s constituents on behalf of scholarships, memorial funds, honorary funds, fellowships, aid programs, professorships, etc.;
   2. Establishment of an “Associates” or “Friends” program, designed to solicit financial support;
   3. Plans to raise funds for research project support, conferences, equipment, special symposia, etc.;
   4. Plans to add or reassign faculty or staff members, or to retain outside professional counsel, to conduct fundraising activities in the University’s name.
2. It is the policy of this institution that no solicitation of funds (other than grants or contracts administered through the Research Foundation for the State University of New York) or property shall be made by anyone for the benefit of the University, or any agency thereof, without the prior approval of the vice president for advancement, acting for the president.
3. All funds raised are to remain with the Foundation for the sole benefit of the University.
4. No outside organizations may use Foundation or University constituent lists for the purpose of fundraising.
5. Groups or units which have approval to conduct fundraising campaigns must be willing to assist the Foundation in identifying the specific segments of the general constituent groups they wish to solicit. The Foundation will generally not approve requests to solicit entire foundation or University constituent groups as previously defined.
6. No solicitation of either the Binghamton University Foundation or Alumni Association boards is to occur without the prior approval of the vice president for advancement.
7. Information provided by the Foundation or Office of Alumni Relations to internal or external requestors (e.g., Foundation or Alumni Association boards of directors lists; prospect profiles for campaigns; lists of alumni, Foundation or Binghamton University Forum leaders or members) are to be used only for official Foundation or Alumni Association business on behalf of Binghamton University. This information can be utilized for individual communication of a personal nature between members of the Foundation or Alumni Association. However, use of these materials for any other purpose, including but not limited to reproducing and storing a retrieval system by any means (electronic, mechanical or photocopying) or using the addresses or other information for any private, fundraising, commercial or political mailing, is strictly prohibited and constitutes misappropriation of corporate property.
8. The Binghamton University Foundation and the Alumni Association do not engage in solicitations of support for political, religious or social action causes or campaigns.
9. All gifts must be made payable to the Binghamton University Foundation, which holds and manages the funds for the purpose designated by the donor(s). The Foundation has the right to refuse gifts which are deemed to be inconsistent with the University’s mission and/or best interests.
10. Special fundraising campaigns or other fully endorsed fundraising projects or programs should be coordinated through the Division of Advancement six months to one year in advance. Major fundraising campaigns (i.e., for anniversaries and other milestones) should be coordinated through the Division of Advancement one year in advance. Memorial campaigns will be conducted as needed.
11. The Division of Advancement will work with appropriate units in coordinating all aspects of fundraising initiatives, including the preparation of direct mail appeals, gift processing and acknowledgment. This will ensure that all fundraising initiatives meet professional fundraising standards, accounting and IRS guidelines.

XII.D. On-Campus Solicitations and/or Not-For-Profit Organizations

Generally, University policy prohibits the use of state resources, i.e. state and University stationery, time, personnel, distribution lists or address labels, etc., to assist external and/or not-for-profit organizations in fundraising. The only exception to this is the annual State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA).

Some organizations may distribute information and solicit support as long as they adhere to the following policy guidelines:

1. the soliciting organization must be not-for-profit;
2. the use of state resources and personnel is not permitted, with the single exception noted above;
3. after appropriate arrangements have been made in the Office of the Director of the University Union, on campus solicitations may take place only in public areas of the University Union and also require co-sponsorship by a recognized student organization;
4. information materials on the organization’s purpose may be made available at the time of solicitation, and an announcement of the not-for-profit organization’s presence and purpose may be made on Dateline;
5. individuals soliciting should carry identification showing their association with the not-for-profit organization;
6. solicitations may not take place in any campus areas other than the University Union.

The Office of the Senior Associate Vice President for Budget and Business Affairs monitors adherence to this policy, and will provide further information to those interested. Click here for more information on the Binghamton University Foundation policies. Click here for more information on commercial solicitations on campus.