Giving Options

You can donate cash, gifts-in-kind, stocks, bonds, mutual funds and real estate. Wills, trusts, insurance policies and other estate planning methods allow you to support the university. You can generously respond to the university's Annual Fund telephone and mail appeals or attend a special fund-raising event, such as the WestConn Society Luncheon. Your gift to the Alumni & Friends Circle will expand the beautification and fund-raising program that continues to add to the appeal of the area near Old Main and the majestic old oak tree on the university's Midtown campus. Please call Director of Development Jane von Trapp at 203-837-8419 for information about planned giving and more information about your options to support the university.

A Donor Bill of Rights

PHILANTHROPY is based on voluntary action for the common good. It is a tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to the quality of life. To ensure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the not-for-profit organizations and causes they are asked to support, we declare that all donors have these rights:

I. To be informed of the organization’s mission, of the way the organization intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.

II. To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization’s governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.

III. To have access to the organization’s most recent financial statements.

IV. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.

V. To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.

VI. To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.

VII. To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.

VIII. To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors.

IX. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.

X. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.

2011, Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.