Give to CUNY BA

Give back to the program that gave so much to you!

Each Spring at Commencement, an award is given to two or more graduating students who have been accepted to graduate school through the Alumni Fund.

Support the Alumni Fund Awards here

To make a gift by check, please make it payable to The Graduate Center Foundation, Inc.  include in the 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.

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 first-generation CUNY BA students.

If you are interested in starting a named award at CUNY BA, 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 Inc., for the benefit of the CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies.

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."

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.

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.

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.