Ways to Give
You can donate to CUNY BA by making a direct financial contribution or by naming CUNY BA as a beneficiary in your trust, will or life insurance, which are all very easy to do - much simpler than you might imagine. CUNY has consultants on hand who can answer any questions regarding planned giving.
Alumni Fund and The Annual Appeal
Give back to the program that gave so much to you!
Each spring, the Alumni Fund awards scholarships at Commencement to two or more graduating students who have been accepted to graduate school. The Annual Appeal helps defray the expenses of our GRE workshops, student and alumni networking events, and discounts on commencement fees for students who might otherwise not be able to attend.
Support the Alumni Fund Awards and the Annual Appeal here.
To make a gift by check, please make it payable to The Graduate Center Foundation, Inc. include in memo for CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies, and mail it to:
The Graduate Center Foundation
Office of Institutional Advancement
365 Fifth Avenue, Suite 8204
New York, NY 10016
Don't forget to take advantage of any matching donations offered by your employer! Simply obtain the matching funds form and mail it to CUNY BA.
Donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Named Awards
Some alumni have contributed larger amounts to have scholarships created in their name or the name of a loved one. For example, Pennell Somsen ('15), in memory of her mother, contributes $6000 annually to be used for scholarships for new CUNY BA students.
If you are interested in starting a named award at CUNY BA (minimum required is $500), contact general@cunyba.cuny.edu.
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. 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 for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies.
Planned Giving (Bequests)
The simplest way to make a planned gift 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 for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies, 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 for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies, 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 for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies, 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 CUNY BA. Your gift should be made to The Graduate Center Foundation, For The Benefit Of The CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies.
Gifts In Kind
There are different types of tangible gifts that you can make 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 CUNY BA.
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 CUNY BA; the Program Office will take care of the details.
For More Information
To request a "How to Make a Will That Works" brochure, please contact general@cunyba.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 us at general@cunyba.cuny.edu.
In accordance with New York State Law, the New York State Office of the Attorney General requires that the website and telephone number for the Attorney General’s Charities Bureau be included on all solicitations. They are as follows:
Phone: 212.416.8401