|
Gifts to Support KEI may include, but are not limited to:
Gifts of Assets
Publicly Traded Stocks, Bonds & Securities
With shrinking state and federal support, your private gifts are needed more then ever to support the institute’s most pressing needs. Your gift can support state-of-the-art research, patient care, and even provide world-class training for the next generation of ophthalmologists.
Thank you for considering how your personal gift can help Kresge Eye Institute maintain a leading role in developing technology that makes a difference today and in the future. To establish a unique way to support KEI, please call Erika Walker at (313) 577-7623.
Cash Gifts
Cash gifts, checks, credit cards, or other property, provide Kresge Eye Institute with much needed financial assistance. These gifts can be used immediately to the area(s) in which it is designated. Download Mail In Cash Gift Form.
back to top
Gift Pledges
A pledge is a formal commitment of your intention to make a gift to Kresge Eye Institute. It allows you the flexibility to pay your gift over time, usually between one and five years. Download Letter of Intent.
back to top
Tribute & Memorial Gifts
Tribute and memorial gifts are thoughtful ways to mark a special occasion or to honor the memory of a relative or friend. To make a memorial gift, send your contribution (along with acknowledgment information so we can notify the recipient or family) to Kresge Eye Institute. Tribute donations can be made to celebrate or remember all of life’s important milestones:
-
Births and birthdays
-
Weddings and anniversaries
-
Graduations and retirements
-
Bar or Bat Mitzvahs
-
Mother’s Day or Father’s Day
-
Get well, good luck, best wishes, congratulations
-
Celebrating life’s successes and joys
-
Simply saying "thank you"
Your gift will be acknowledged immediately with a card sent to the person or group that you are honoring. A personal message on the card will let them know that a thoughtful donation has been made in their name.
If you have any questions about making a tribute gift, call the Development office at 313-577-7623 or email us.
back to top
Gifts from Estates or Trusts
A bequest in a will or trust stipulates that the entire amount or a percentage of your estate be given to the university after your lifetime. Your bequest may be designated to a research program, to a faculty endowment or scholarships, or it may be unrestricted and used where needed most. Gifts from your estate to Kresge Eye Institute are exempt from estate tax.
Life-income gifts provide income to a donor and/or another individual, such as a spouse. The donor realizes income tax savings for the year the gift is given to the university. A charitable gift annuity, for example, provides a guaranteed income for a spouse or other loved one, and a deferred income gift annuity provides you with additional retirement income. At the end of the beneficiary’s lifetime(s), the remainder is transferred to Kresge Eye Institute.
Retirement fund assets would be heavily taxed if given to an individual. After your lifetime, the remainder of your retirement fund can be designated to a research program, to the Ligon Research Center of Vision, to a faculty endowment or scholarships, or it may be unrestricted and used where needed most.
Life insurance, in the form of an old policy no longer needed by the original beneficiary or a newly created policy to benefit Kresge Eye Institute, can provide invaluable support to the institute. Small premiums now can generate a major gift in the future, and premiums for these policies may be tax deductible. Many employers provide group life insurance as a benefit, and Kresge Eye can be named for a portion of the proceeds. This giving vehicle is an important one for younger donors who wish to make a leadership gift.
Charitable lead trusts provide income to Kresge Eye over a set number of years and then transfer assets to children or other individual(s) named by the donor. This plan enables heirs to receive assets while minimizing taxes.
back to top
Gifts for Endowment
An endowed gift is a gift that Kresge Eye Institute holds in perpetuity and does not spend. Endowed gifts are invested, and only part of their average annual investment return is used for the purpose(s) specified by the donor. Each gift designated as an endowment therefore is a source of permanent financial support, and a donor who creates an endowed gift is assured that it will grow and continue to support Kresge Eye Institute.
Competition for the best teachers, researchers and students is extremely high. Private endowed scholarships are an important factor in the university's ability to recruit, support and retain especially talented students. Similarly, top researchers and other faculty are drawn to institutions that can offer them endowed research funds or chairs.
By providing specially designated resources for research and teaching, endowed positions enable gifted faculty and researchers to excel in their particular disciplines. Chaired faculty leave an indelible mark on the intellectual and creative life not only of their students but also on the institute itself. An endowment is truly a philanthropic venture because the greatest return to the donor comes specifically through the achievements of students and faculty.
Creating an endowed fund also allows you to put your name or the name of another person or organization on the endowment. In this way, donors may have their names, or the name of a loved one, linked to a facility, unit or program in which they have a particular interest.
back to top
Supporting Current Endowment Funds
KEI currently has several established endowments that provide invaluable support to the institute. Each endowment has its own mission and goals that have been established by the donor. To learn more about our current endowments, please click here.
back to top
Gifts of Assets
Gifts of assets may make helpful gifts while saving taxes include real estate (subject to university approval), closely held stock, business practices (law, medicine, etc.), partnerships, contracts, leases, royalties and patents.
back to top
Publicly Traded Stocks, Bonds, & Securities
Publicly traded stocks or bonds make excellent gifts and easily can be transferred to Kresge Eye Institute through Wayne State University. If the securities have appreciated, you not only receive the benefit of the full fair market value as a charitable income tax deduction, but you also avoid the capital gains tax if you have owned the securities for more than one year. Download Securities Transmittal Form.
back to top
Adobe Reader is required to view PDF files
|