Where can I find examples of gift acceptance policies?

Sample gift policies are usually difficult to find, via print or the Internet, because they are typically very specific to the organizations involved and their mission. However, some of the following resources might be useful in developling a gift acceptance policy for a nonprofit organization.

• Texas A&M University at Galveston (http://www.tamug.tamu.edu/Develop/Gifts.htm) has a sample gift acceptance policy posted on its site.

• The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis (http://www.cfgm.org/giftpolicy.html) has its gift acceptance policies posted on its Web site.

• A Strategic Alliance of Planned Giving Consultants has developed a 25 page document entitled "Understanding and Drafting Nonprofit Gift Acceptance Policies" by Kathryn W. Miree. Also available through the Planned Giving Design Center.

• The Greater Cincinnati Foundation has its gift acceptance policies available online.

• San Diego State University has its gift acceptance policy and procedures available online.

• The Community Foundation of Greater Birminghmam offers an online version of its gift acceptance policies and procedures.

• You can also try a number of Internet search engines such as Google using the keywords "sample nonprofit gift acceptance policy".

Keep in mind that sample gift acceptance policies are specific to the organization involved. Your situation may differ.

Print Resources

• Cohen, Rick. "Fundraising Medicine: Creating Gift Acceptance Policies." Grassroots Fundraising Journal 21 (January-February 2002) p. 11-3.

• Goldstein, Barbara (ed.) Public Art by the Book. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press. 2005. An instruction manual for initiating, executing, and maintaining many types of public arts projects, funded either by government monies or through private sources. Contains many sample documents, including city ordinances, gift acceptance policies, contracts, press releases, as well as numerous case studies of all types of installations.

• Miree, Kathryn W. Understanding and Drafting Nonprofit Gift Acceptance Policies. Birmingham, AL: Kathryn W. Miree and Associates. 2003.

For more information on gift acceptance policies, try searching our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature (CNL), the Center's bibliographic database. You could start searching on the term "gift acceptance polic*" (with the asterisk but without the quotations) in the keyword field.

Many of the books and articles found through CNL can be located in Center Libraries and some Cooperating Collections. It is best to call ahead to verify a specific library's holdings.

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