Making a Gift to Bearcat Athletics

Giving to Willamette University accomplishes several things. It allows you to invest in the future of this University while providing you and your family with significant financial planning opportunities. It is our intention to make your gift giving experience as simple and as direct as possible. Gifts provide the donor with tax benefits and Willamette with critical resources to fulfill our educational mission. We encourage you to contact the Department of Athletics at 503-370-6420 or the Office of University Relations at 503-370-6552 with your questions.

Bearcat Athletic Fund

The Bearcat Athletic Fund is a critical component for our annual operating budget. These unrestricted funds are used to assist with department-wide needs, including awards, receptions, special equipment needs, printing and mail expenses. Bearcat Fund gifts are used for a variety of needs in the Department of Athletics at the discretion of the Athletics Director.

Endowment

Endowments may be established with a minimum gift of $50,000, and can be established for specific teams or programs as well as for general Athletics department use. Endowments can be named to honor an individual or the donor. Endowment gifts may be made payable over a maximum five year period.

Current endowments include:

• Football
• Rowing
• Men's Basketball Legacy Fund

Designated Gifts

Any gift may be designated to a specific team or program. These "restricted" gifts will be used only for the designated team or program. These funds help offset annual operating expenses for each team or program, including travel, equipment, uniforms or other needs.

Types of Gifts

Liquid Assests

• Cash — The simplest way to support Bearcat Athletics is by writing a check. Your gift may designate support for a specific team or program or it may be unrestricted, which allows the Athletics Department to direct it to an area of great need.
• Securities — Giving appreciated stocks, bonds and mutual funds provides even greater tax benefits than giving cash.

Tangible Property, Goods or Services

• Real Estate — Developed and undeveloped property, farms and ranches, and personal residences may be donated to Willamette. These gifts offer a number of tax advantages for the donor.
• Special Gifts — In kind gifts of goods or services may be appropriate for Athletic Department or team use. Gifts of this nature often reduce operating budget expenditures and provide the donor with tax benefits. For questions about in-kind needs, contact Mark Majeski, Director of Athletics at 503-370-6420.

Planned Gifts

• Gifts by Will or Living Trust — A bequest is the most traditional choice of donors who wish to make a significant contribution to the University. With this option, you retain full use of your assets during your life and reduce your taxable estate after death. A General Bequest means the University will receive a specific amount of money from your estate. A Percentage Bequest allows you to allocate a specific percentage of your estate to Willamette.
• Life Income Gifts — Life income gifts are popular and excellent vehicles for retirement planning. They offer significant financial and tax benefits, including secure income, immediate tax deductions, and elimination of capital gain tax on appreciated assets.
• Charitable Annuities — The charitable gift annuity, which offers fixed income payments for life, is the simplest of life income gifts and is a contract between you and the University. With a deferred charitable gift annuity, the fixed income payments do not start until a future date set by you. A charitable remainder annuity trust, which requires a formal trust arrangement, provides fixed income for life or for a specified term of up to 20 years.
• Charitable Remainder Unitrust — A unitrust provides income payments for life or for a specified term of up to 20 years. Each year’s payments are a fixed percentage of the previous year-end value of trust assets, which allows for growth of income if trust assets increase in value. If trust assets decline in value, income payments will decline.
• Charitable Lead Trust — You would contribute cash or property to the trust, with payments from the trust to Willamette University for life or a specified term of years, typically 10 years or more. When the term ends, trust principal is distributed to your children or other designated heirs, often with little or no estate or gift tax.
• Gifts of Retirement Assets — You may give Willamette a portion or all of your retirement assets, such as the assets contained in your IRA, 401(k) plan, profit-sharing plan, pension plan or Keogh plan. You should consult your tax advisor about the tax consequences of transfers of retirement assets.
• Life Insurance — Naming Willamette as owner and beneficiary of a paid life insurance policy entitles you to a tax deduction. You also can name Willamette as beneficiary of other types of life insurance policies, which may reduce your estate tax.

For more information, please contact the Office of University Relations at 503-370-6552 or the Department of Athletics at 503-370-6420.