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CU Foundation

Who governs the CU Foundation?

A volunteer Board of Directors has fiduciary oversight, elects the officers of the Foundation and appoints the chief executive officer. The CU president, a representative of the university’s Board of Regents, and another university designee serve as non-voting members of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

How does the CU Foundation's endowment work?

The CU Foundation manages thousands of individual endowments that generate an ongoing source of support for various university priorities — such as scholarships, research or faculty support — specified by endowment donors. Endowments are invested collectively in the Long Term Investment Pool, or LTIP.

An endowment typically needs to be funded at a minimum level of $25,000 (though minimums may vary by campus or programmatic category) in order to actively support the specified CU program. Once that occurs, the endowment distributes 4% of its average fair market value each year to the specified CU program.

Click here to learn more about the specifics of CU's endowment.

Who manages the CU Foundation’s endowment?

The CU Foundation’s volunteer Investment Policy Committee provides fiduciary oversight and determines investment policy. Currently, the Foundation relies on Agility, the Foundation’s outsourced CIO, and its highly qualified and experienced team, to manage the portfolio on a day-to-day basis, according to the policies and asset-allocation guidelines set by the Investment Policy Committee.

Does the CU Foundation make grants?

The Foundation’s mission is limited to supporting the University of Colorado. Therefore, the Foundation does not make grants to external organizations or individuals.

What is the CU Foundation’s tax ID number?

CU Foundation Tax ID: 84-6049811

Wire funds to the CU Foundation

Complete our intake form for new stock, securities or cash gifts. Further details and instructions will be sent to you upon submitting the form.

Contact CU Foundation Gift Management at gifts@cufund.org or 303-541-1290 with questions. Please consult your advisors for tax and legal advice.

 

Common giving terms

What are one-time gifts?

One-time gifts are single, outright gifts of any amount made to any of the thousands of funds benefiting the people, places and programs throughout the University of Colorado's four campuses.

What are recurring gifts?

A recurring gift is a fixed amount given on a regular periodic schedule, such as monthly, quarterly or annually. This gift continues in perpetuity until the donor requests to cancel or change it.

What are planned gifts?

A planned gift refers to a wide array of customizable giving mechanisms that may blend current and future commitments, maximize tax and estate factors, and optimize your current cash flow or finances.

Common planned gift types include:

  • Bequests
  • Charitable gift annuities
  • Charitable remainder trusts
  • Charitable lead trusts
  • Real estate
  • Retirement accounts

Learn more at our Gift Planning website.

What are endowments?

Endowments are gifts that keep on giving by serving as reliable long-term funding sources for designated purposes or programs at CU in perpetuity. The principal amount of an endowed fund is permanently invested by the University of Colorado Foundation in its Long Term Investment Pool (LTIP), generating interest income that is used to fund the purpose or program designated by the donor.

What are outright gifts?

Outright gifts make up the majority of contributions to CU, and encompass the following gift types: cash, stocks and bonds, real estate, tangible personal property, matching gifts or gifts-in-kind. In general, outright gifts qualify for an immediate income tax deduction. For questions or more detailed information, please call 303-541-1290 or email gifts@cufund.org.

What are matching gifts?

More than 15,000 companies and subsidiaries will match tax-deductible charitable contributions made by their employees, retirees and employees' spouses—which can double (or triple) the value of your gift! Matching gifts are directed to the same designation as your original gift, unless your employer dictates otherwise. The CU Foundation will recognize you for the total amount. For questions about this or other aspects of matching gifts, please call 303-541-1290 or email matching.gifts@cufund.org.

What are unrestricted gifts?

Unrestricted gifts are those in which donors give CU's leadership total discretion in how the money may be spent, which maximizes their ability to respond to the ever-changing needs of the institution. The easiest way to make an unrestricted gift is to donate to one of CU's many unrestricted funds, often referred to as a "Fund for Excellence," "Annual Fund" or "Dean's Fund."

What are challenge gifts?

A challenge gift is a great way for a donor to inspire and encourage other donors. Typically, a donor will commit to donating a specific amount of money to a program or cause, with a precondition–or challenge–that all other donors must meet a goal or take an action within a certain time period in order for the gift to be fulfilled. Common challenges include goals for total money raised or total number of donors, as well as dollar-for-dollar matches that effectively double or triple the impact of all donations up to a certain amount.

What are memorial and honorary gifts?

Memorial and honorary gifts recognize a loved one or someone influential to the donor. Any gift of any amount can be designated as an honorary or memorial donation.

What are gifts-in-kind?

Gifts-in-kind are donations of goods rather than cash. In-kind gifts include artwork, furniture, office equipment, medical equipment and certain professional services.

What are payroll deductions?

Payroll deduction is offered to CU faculty and staff as a simple and easy way for you to make a powerful statement about your commitment to CU’s future. This recurring gift is automatically deducted from your paycheck each month, and can be set up, changed or cancelled at any time.

What are pledge commitments?

A pledge commitment is a promise by a donor to pay a specified amount in full over a predetermined time period, usually no more than five years.

 

Ways to give

Get help making a gift

For assistance with making a gift online, please email giving@cu.edu or call 303-541-1258. For all other gift-related inquiries, call 303-541-1290, email gifts@cufund.org or visit our Contact Us page to find the best contact to address your needs.

Make a gift online with credit card, payment app or bank transfer

Online gifts may be made with a credit or debit card; Venmo, PayPal, Google Pay or Apple Pay account; or a bank transfer, which deducts your gift payment directly from your personal checking or savings account.

Proceed through checkout, select “Pay with Bank Transfer” in the payment form and follow the prompts.

Please note: If you choose the manual bank account verification option, your gift cannot be processed until you confirm two micro-deposits that will appear in your account in 1-4 business days.

Search Funds
Make a gift by phone

To make a gift over the phone using your credit card, please call the number below and a CU Foundation representative will be happy to accept and process your gift. 

Phone: 303-541-1290 
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm MT

Make a gift by mail

To make a gift by mail, please download and complete this form, making sure to specify the fund you would like your gift to go to. Then, make out your check(s) for the donation amount payable to the University of Colorado Foundation.

Mail the form, along with the check(s) to:
University of Colorado Foundation
P.O. Box 17126
Denver, CO 80217-9155

Make a gift with cryptocurrency

A gift of cryptocurrency is a non-taxable event, meaning you do not owe capital gains tax on the appreciated amount and can deduct it from your taxes. This makes Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency gifts among the most tax-efficient ways to support your favorite cause.

When you give crypto to the University of Colorado Foundation, we immediately transfer your coins to cash. Your gift will fund your favorite CU campaign. If you know the name of the fund you wish to give to, you can type the name in the donation notes field.

Please note: All cryptocurrency gifts made to CU are non-refundable. Please only send currencies listed in the “Select Your Crypto” dropdown menu. Do not send unsupported currencies (including unsupported ERC-20s, ERC-721s and BEP20s), as these may be lost.

Get Started
Give stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other financial assets

Click here to complete our intake form for new stock, securities or cash gifts. Further details and instructions will be sent to you via encrypted email upon review of your form submission.

Contact CU Foundation Gift Management at gifts@cufund.org or 303-541-1290 with questions. Please consult your advisors for tax and legal advice.

To make a gift with cryptocurrency, please visit our cryptocurrencies giving page.

Give real estate or other personal property

Contact our Gift Planning Team for guidance on these individual circumstances.

Please note: In-kind gifts of personal property are now processed by the Gift Planning Team. For guidance on in-kind gifts, contact the CU System Advancement Office at GIK@cu.edu or 303-541-1229.

Learn more at our Gift Planning website
Make a gift from an estate

If you are an attorney, personal representative/executor or trustee managing an estate or trust with the University of Colorado Foundation or the University of Colorado as a beneficiary, please contact our Estates Administration Team at estates@cu.edu or call us at 303-813-7958.

Make a gift to an endowment

You can contribute to an existing endowment in support of CU by selecting one of our endowed funds when searching for funds online.

Establish a new endowment

New endowments can be established generally at a minimum level of $25,000, fundable with a gift or commitment payable over up to five years. Some CU campuses and programmatic categories may have different endowment minimums.

If you are interested in creating a new endowment or have questions about endowment minimums, please contact us at giftadministration@cu.edu or 303-541-1252 and we will connect you with a development professional in the academic unit you aim to support.

See our Guide to Endowments and learn more about the specifics of CU's endowment.

Make a pledge payment

If you have established a multi-payment pledge with regularly scheduled payments, you can fulfill your payments online when making a gift. Visit this form, search for your fund, check the box next to "This is a payment on an existing pledge" and complete the form. This will help us connect your gift to your pledge. You can also fulfill your pledge, or make changes to it, by calling us at 303-541-1290.

Set up and manage recurring gifts

You can make a recurring gift online at giveto.cu.edu/funds. On that page, select the “Make this a recurring gift” checkbox and complete the giving form. Recurring gifts continue monthly until you request to cancel or change them. Once you have made a recurring gift, you will receive an email that allows you to manage your gift. We are also happy to help you set up, change or cancel a recurring gift. Please email gifts@cufund.org or call 303-541-1290.

Take advantage of a matching gift program

If your company has a matching gift policy, request a matching gift form from that employer and submit your completed and signed claim to:

University of Colorado Foundation
P.O. Box 17126
Denver, CO 80217-9155

The University of Colorado Foundation's Tax ID # is: 84-6049811

Matching gifts are directed to the same designation as your original gift, unless your employer dictates otherwise. Call 303-541-1290 or email matching.gifts@cufund.org with questions.

Set up and manage payroll deductions (for CU faculty/staff)

CU faculty and staff can set up a recurring monthly gift through an automatic payroll deduction. Please contact Gift Management at payroll.deductions@cufund.org with gift related payroll deduction questions. For questions about your monthly deduction, please contact CU Employee Services at hcm_community@cu.edu.

Obtain a CU license plate

For a modest donation to one of four CU license plate funds, you can support your campus' Alumni Association, obtain a state of Colorado license plate and promote your pride for CU Boulder, UCCS, CU Denver and CU Anschutz. 

There are two CU license plates: One with the CU Boulder Ralphie athletics logo and one with the CU logo. The Ralphie logo plate is obtained by giving to the CU Boulder license plate fund. The CU logo plate is obtained by giving to a license plate fund at UCCS, CU Denver or CU Anschutz. 

CU Boulder plate:

CU plate for UCCS, CU Denver and CU Anschutz:

Important: Gifts must be made to the license plate fund for one of CU's campuses. Gifts to other funds do not qualify for a license plate. Read more FAQ and instructions about the license plate program.

Obtaining a CU license plate in the state of Colorado is a three-step process:

Step 1: Make a scholarship donation to a campus' Alumni Association of at least $50:

CU Boulder
UCCS, CU Denver or CU Anschutz

Step 2: You will receive a gift confirmation email that includes instructions for completing the process.

Step 3: Pay the required DMV fee for obtaining specialty plates.

Designate a gift in honor or in memory of someone

Any gift—whether one-time, recurring or a pledge—can be designated as an honorary or memorial gift. To do so, go to this form, choose a fund and then complete the "In honor of" or "In memory of" fields after completing your gift transaction. 

You may also designate your gift when donating by phone or by mail.

Fulfill a Telephone Pledge

Did you receive a fundraising call? That was us!

Each year students from the CU Engagement Center, managed by RNL, reach out to alumni, parents and friends to offer them an opportunity to support whatever they are passionate about at CU. The engagement center helps to strengthen academic programs, provide student services and fund scholarships.

What phone number they can expect to see for each campus:
Boulder -  (720) 552-5219
AMC -  (720) 500-0401
Denver - (720) 623-5024
UCCS -  (719) 425-8324

Pay your pledge now?
Denver: https://www.givecampus.com/e90uwa
Boulder: https://www.givecampus.com/aoul8c
UCCS: https://www.givecampus.com/fbjsko
AMC: https://www.givecampus.com/gn4d4c
 

Current students, interested in working at the engagement center?
Submit an application here:
cu.theengagementcenter.com

Contact Info:

Garron Freddie
Engagement Center Director
Garron.Freddie@ruffalonl.com

 

General questions about giving at CU

How are CU’s fundraising priorities determined?

CU’s campus leadership determine which proposed initiatives and projects become fundraising priorities in consultation with the university president and the Board of Regents. Strategies are then developed to seek funding for the priorities.

If CU is a public university, why are private gifts needed?

The state of Colorado provides a small percentage of the university’s operating budget. Private support is an important and increasingly fundamental component of CU’s budget. Targeted donor support for strategic priorities allows the university to attract and retain the best and brightest faculty, provide scholarships, build first-class facilities and direct education and research toward meeting community needs and solving society's most pressing challenges.

How can I be sure gifts go to their intended purpose?

Gift funds and gift agreements are contractual documents, and our policies and practices are oriented toward ensuring that each donor’s intent is honored. CU Advancement staff work closely with faculty partners to maximize the impact of donor support on CU programs. Donors who establish endowments receive periodic Endowment Status Reports that provide updates on investment performance and fund balances. We also publish an Annual Report and other communications in an effort to be transparent to donors and the community.

Do you charge a fee on gifts or endowments?

The CU Foundation does not charge fees on current gifts or pledge commitments; those gifts entirely support the program designated by the donor. As is common practice among university endowments, the CU Foundation collects an assessment of 1.5% on all endowments to support the University of Colorado’s Advancement operations.

How quickly will my gift be processed?

We aim to process all gifts and issue gift tax receipts within two business days after the gift is made.

Will I receive a receipt?

Yes. Gift tax receipts are typically issued within two business days and can be delivered via email or mail.

Is my gift tax-deductible?

The CU Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All gifts to the Foundation are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law, but circumstances vary depending on each donor’s individual financial situation. You should consult with your tax attorney/advisor concerning the deductibility of your gift.

How do I update my information?

Do we have incorrect or out-of-date information for you? Please let us know! You can update your record by using our online form, or by calling us at 303-541-1290.

How do I contact CU Advancement or the CU Foundation?

For any gift-related inquiries, call 303-541-1290 or email gifts@cufund.org. For other inquiries, please visit our Contact Us page.