GW Monogram

Giving

 

Giving FAQs

We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed philanthropic decision. If you have additional questions, please contact us at givingatgwu [dot] edu (giving[at]gwu[dot]edu) or call 1-800-789-2611, and we will happily assist you.

General Questions

Making a Gift

Endowments

Faculty and Staff Campaign

General Questions

What is GW’s Tax ID number?

The George Washington University is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Tax ID# 53-0196584.

Can I designate my gift?

You may designate your contribution to any of GW's schools, programs, libraries, special initiatives, scholarship funds, or endowments. You can explore some of our priority giving opportunities or support the area that is most meaningful to you.

If you would like help matching your interests to an area of support, call us at 1-844-574-4483.

Is GW on Charity Navigator?

As of May 1, 2016, Charity Navigator will no longer provide ratings for primarily tuition-based private schools, colleges, and universities, but prior to that date, GW earned Charity Navigator's highest (four-star) rating.

How do I get a tax receipt?

To request a tax receipt, please email givingatgwu [dot] edu.

Back to Top 

Making a Gift

There are many ways to make a gift to GW! Please visit GW’s Ways to Give page for a full list of options and additional resources.

How can I give online?

GW's secure online giving form is the easiest and quickest way to make your gift. Online contributions can be made via credit card, PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, or your Donor Advised Fund.

Can I give over the phone?

If you prefer to provide your credit card information over the phone, please call our secure telephone line at 1-844-574-4483.

How do I mail my check to GW?

Gifts can be mailed to: 

The George Washington University 

PO Box 98131 

Washington, D.C. 20090-8131 

Please make checks payable to The George Washington University.

Can I give stock or securities?

Contributing of securities or appreciated stocks and bonds can be made by electronic transfer or certificate. For stock and securities transfer details, please visit our Ways to Give page or call 1-800-789-2611.

Can I give real estate?

Learn more about real estate giving options and next steps.

Where can I learn more about planned giving?

Learn more about your future gift options with GW’s estate planning resources.

Who can I talk to about DAF, QCD, and complex gifts?

For questions regarding Donor Advised Funds (DAF), Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD), gifts of stock, real estate, or other complex giving options, please contact the Office of Planned Giving at pgiving1atgwu [dot] edu (pgiving1[at]gwu[dot]edu) or call 1-877-498-7590.

Back to Top

Endowments 

Gifts of all kinds may be designated as a long-term investment through an endowment. Learn more about GW’s endowment options.

What does GW's endowment provide for?

More than 1,200 individual endowments that comprise the George Washington University's consolidated pooled endowment provide perpetual funding for instructional and research support, professorships, scholarships, and facilities.

What are the minimum levels to establish and name an endowed fund?

A named endowed award or prize fund may be established with a minimum gift of $25,000, and the minimum gift for a named endowed scholarship or fellowship is $100,000. Endowment gifts may be pledged and paid over a period of up to five years. For more information, please contact Jennifer Riordan, Executive Director of Donor Relations, at jriordanatgwu [dot] edu (jriordan[at]gwu[dot]edu) or 202-994-9432.

Can I choose what my endowment supports?

Yes, it is possible to restrict how funds can be used. You can designate your gift to support a particular school or program, special initiative, library, or other opportunity at the university. Please contact Jennifer Riordan at jriordanatgwu [dot] edu (jriordan[at]gwu[dot]edu) or 202-994-9432 to review your options.

Once established, can I continue to give to my fund?

Yes, unless you state otherwise in your memorandum of understanding when the gift is established, the fund can be left "open" to future gifts from you or other individuals who choose to support the fund.

How is GW’s Endowment currently managed?

Strategic Investment Group, our Outsourced Chief Investment Office (OCIO), manages most assets in the Endowment, excluding certain separately managed funds and the portfolio of real estate investment properties. Strategic Investment Group works together with the Committee on Finance and Investments of the Board of Trustees to establish asset class targets and ranges consistent with the specific financial needs and objectives of our Endowment.

Does GW charge any administrative fees to manage my endowment gift?

The only fees charged to the Endowment are the expenses directly related to the management of the Endowment, such as costs related to the OCIO, investment managers, and custodian fees. The university does not charge additional overhead or administrative fees to the Endowment. Costs of managing the Endowment are netted from investment return and are comparable to the institutional expenses of investment company funds.

How is the amount of annual payout determined and then distributed?

The annual payout is intended to approximate 5 percent of the average fair value of the Endowment. The Board of Trustees approves the payout annually, and it is then allocated monthly to individual funds.

When will an endowment begin generating payout that can be spent?

Endowments are established once the initial gift is received and all required paperwork has been completed. Beginning with the second month after establishment, the endowment will generate payout.

If the initial gift is below the minimum required funding level for the type of endowment established, endowment payout will be automatically reinvested into corpus until the sum of reinvested payout plus additional gifts brings the corpus to the minimum required funding level. Once the corpus reaches the minimum required funding level, payout generated from that point forward is available to be spent.

Will GW reinvest the payout to help my fund grow?

Accumulated unspent endowment payout may be reinvested into the corpus of the fund at the donor’s request if the fund does not meet minimum required funding levels, or at the discretion of the university as long as reinvestment is not prohibited by the donor. Upon reinvestment, the fund is allocated additional units and, therefore, earns additional payout going forward.

What is a quasi-endowment?

Quasi endowment funds function as an endowment established by the institution from either donor or institutional funds, and will be retained and invested rather than expended.

The quasi endowment must retain the purpose and intent as specified by the donor or source of the original funds, and earnings may be expended only for those purposes. Since they are established by the institution rather than by an external source, the principal may be expended as stipulated by the donor.

What is an "underwater" endowment? Is there a policy for spending from underwater funds?

An endowment fund is “underwater” when its market value falls below the value of the original gift(s). The university’s policies permit spending from underwater endowment funds unless precluded by the donor or relevant laws and regulations. Further, the university follows the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) as adopted by the Council of the District of Columbia.

Back to Top

Faculty and Staff Campaign 

See how gifts from faculty and staff are making a difference for GW students.

Where have faculty and staff given to in the past?

You are welcome and encouraged to make your gift to any area you wish! Designation options are listed on the donation form for your convenience.

How much should I give?

You determine the amount of your gift according to your own charitable interests, personal willingness to give, and financial capacity. No gift is too small – it's your participation in the effort that matters most.

Donors who contribute $1,000 or more within a fiscal year will be recognized as members of the Luther Rice Society, one of the university's most prestigious recognition societies. The Luther Rice Society has a number of benefits and events for its members

How can I give?

There are many ways to make a gift to GW, including: 

  • Payroll deduction 
  • Check (Payable to The George Washington University) 
  • Credit/debit card 
  • Appreciated securities and bonds 
  • Bequests 
  • Life insurance 

Visit GW’s Ways to Give page for a full list of options and additional resources.

How does payroll deduction work?

Payroll deduction allows you to specify a gift designation and amount to have automatically deducted from each paycheck. Your gift will be split over 12 or 26 pay periods, depending on your personal pay schedule. 

You can use the online form to set up payroll deduction, or contact the GW annual giving office at givingatgwu [dot] edu or 1-800-789-2611.

Who will know about my gift?

You will receive a receipt for your gift, but the amount will remain confidential to others. If you wish to keep your gift entirely anonymous, you may indicate so on the pledge form.

Can I make a gift jointly with my spouse/significant other?

You are welcome to make your gift as an individual or as a couple. Additionally, your significant other may work for - or be a retiree from - a company that matches philanthropic gifts. Check our matching gifts search form or contact the company’s human resources department to see if you could double your gift.

Back to Top