Ways to Give

You can donate to the CUNY Baccalaureate Program either by making a financial contribution or by including the Program as a beneficiary in your trust, will, or life insurance.

Alumni Fund
Each spring, at Commencement, the Alumni Fund awards scholarships (usually in the amount of $500 each) to two or more graduating students who have been accepted to graduate school for the following fall. Alumni frequently take advantage of the matching programs at their jobs which can double or even triple the amount of their donation. Some alumni have contributed larger amounts to have scholarships created in their name or the name of a loved one.

Examples include Abby Stein ('91) who started making $500 contributions in 2000 to celebrate her graduation from The Graduate Center. Stein received her Ph.D. in Criminal Justice in June and is now a professor in the Thematic Studies Program at John Jay College.

Another example of graduates supporting the Program is an alumna (who prefers anonymity) who chose to mark the 10-year anniversary of her graduation by creating the "Daniel E. Smith Scholarship for Returning Women." The scholarship is named for the alumna's husband as a way of recognizing and thanking him for his encouragement and support when she returned to school.

To honor the memory of her mother, alumna Diane Brows, and her sister, Elyse Brows, started the Harriet Brows Scholarship, to assist students who have financial need and contribute to their colleges and communities in a positive way.

For the first time in 2008, CUNY BA alumnus Dan Daley, journalist and author, has designated a $500 award to be given to an upcoming graduate in journalism/communication.

Donations to the CUNY BA alumni appeal, which are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, not only help fund scholarships for current students as well as graduating seniors accepted into graduate-level programs, they also help defray the expenses of our GRE workshops, student and alumni networking events, discounts on commencement fees for students who might otherwise not be able to attend, and other related activities.

By Check or Online
There are many ways to send us your donation:

We accept checks made out to the CUNY Baccalaureate Program Alumni Fund.

You can make an online donation to the Program through The Graduate Center at http://www.gc.cuny.edu/daro/gift.htm. Click on "Make a gift to a particular department here," then
select "Academic Programs/Departments" and "CUNY/BA" in the following fields.

Other Ways to Give

Stock and Mutual Funds
Making a gift of appreciated stock can reduce or eliminate your capital gains taxes. Your tax bracket determines how much you will save in taxes. If publicly traded stocks, or mutual funds that you own for over one year are worth more than you paid for them, you may realize a tax savings by donating them to the CUNY Baccalaureate Program. Your income tax deduction is based on the security's full fair market value at the time of the gift rather than on your lower purchase price. Stocks or mutual funds should be donated to The Graduate Center Foundation, For The Benefit Of The CUNY Baccalaureate Program.

Planned Giving (Bequests)
The simplest way to make a planned gift to the CUNY Baccalaureate Program is through a bequest. There are different avenues for making bequests. Three popular ways are through a general bequest, contingency bequest and residual bequest.

General Bequest: Designates that a particular beneficiary receives a specified sum of money or a fixed percentage of your estate.

Suggested Text for General Bequests: "I give, devise and bequeath to The Graduate Center Foundation, For The Benefit Of The CUNY Baccalaureate Program, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, the sum of $__________ (or specify a percentage of the estate.)"

Contingency Bequest: Enables you to designate one or more beneficiaries who will receive a legacy only if a primary beneficiary predeceases you, is otherwise unable or unqualified to inherit or disclaims the legacy.

Suggested Text for Contingency Bequests: "If __________(insert the name of your heir) predeceases me or disclaims any interest in _________(describe the asset or portion of your estate), I give such property to The Graduate Center Foundation, For The Benefit Of The CUNY Baccalaureate Program, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, for its general purposes."

Residuary Bequest: Disposes of the assets remaining after all debts, expenses, taxes and bequests are paid. Residuary bequests often dispose of the bulk of an estate. A significant change in the value of assets in the estate will affect the size of the residue.

Suggested Text for Residuary Bequests: "I give, devise and bequeath to The Graduate Center Foundation, For The Benefit Of The CUNY Baccalaureate Program, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, all or part of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate."

Life Income Funds/Charitable Gift Annuities
This specialized area of charitable giving offers the contributor many benefits for a donation including guaranteed income, tax advantages, and solutions for retirement plans. You can use charitable remainder unitrusts, charitable lead trusts, and charitable gift annuities to support the CUNY Baccalaureate Program. Your gift should be made to The Graduate Center Foundation, For The Benefit Of The CUNY Baccalaureate Program.

Gifts In Kind
There are different types of tangible gifts that you can make to the CUNY Baccalaureate Program such as art, real estate, rare books, or jewelry. The tax deductibility of the full fair market value will depend on the prospective use of the tangible property by the CUNY BA/BS Program.

Matching Funds
Remember, your donation could be doubled or even tripled by matching funds made available by your employer. Ask about matching funds at your company’s business, community affairs, philanthropy, or human resources department. Retirees of some institutions may be eligible for this benefit, too. Simply obtain the matching funds form from your employer, put your name on it, and mail it to the CUNY BA Program; the Program Office will take care of the details.

To request a "How to Make a Will That Works" brochure, please contact Lidija Markes at lmarkes@gc.cuny.edu.

For more information on making a donation of stock or mutual funds, planned giving, life income funds, charitable gift annuities, and gifts in kind, please contact the CUNY Graduate Center Development and Alumni Relations Office at 1.212.817.7130 or at develop@gc.cuny.edu.