Description of Memorial and In-Honor Gifts

Arch will accept donor gifts made in remembrance of deceased family members, friends or loved ones (memorial gifts) as well as those gifts made in honor of living individuals (in-honor gifts). Memorial gifts are often made in response to announcements in obituaries or memorial service programs.  In-honor gifts are often made in recognition of personal/professional accomplishments or important life occasions such as birthdays or retirements. 

To promote proper recording and stewardship such gifts should be forwarded directly to the central Gift Accounting Office.   All gifts made to a memorial will be deposited into the general fund for the various schools, colleges, and units within the University.  Gift Accounting will earmark these funds so the gifts that were donated to the memorial may be tracked.  After 1 year (unless the minimum endowment is reached earlier) if the minimum endowment for the memorial is met, Office of Financial Services, at the request of the school, college, or unit, will proceed with setting up the endowed fund in the name of the deceased.  If the memorial has not met the minimum for an endowed fund after one year, all the proceeds from the memorial will stay in the general fund and support the school, college, or units need, as determined by the Dean, Director, or Vice President.  In many instances, however, such gifts are received by the various schools, colleges, and units within the University.  When received by a unit other than Arch, the gift and any accompanying documentation should be transmitted to the Gift Accounting Office as a “memorial” or “in-honor gift.” As with other Arch contributions, memorial/in-honor gifts may be designated for restricted or unrestricted use by the University.  In some instances, donations may be made to specific funds with the intent that the donations be used for a special, one-time purpose.  Arch has the capability to track such contributions and will follow all known intentions in such cases.  Memorial gifts and in-honor gifts may be made via cash, check, credit card, stock, or any other means approved by Arch.

Processing Memorial and In-Honor Gifts

When processing memorial and in-honor gifts, the Gift Accounting Office will assign an additional designation of “M” or “H” to each such gift received by Arch.  Such designations will permanently identify the contribution as having been made in memory, or in honor, of the individual(s) designated.   Should the memorialized or honored individual not be found on the ASCEND gift accounting system, additional gift text indicating the name(s) of the individual(s) will be entered into the system.  As with all other types of gifts made to Arch, any correspondence or gift-backup associated with a memorial/in-honor gift should be transmitted to the Gift Accounting Office. This documentation is especially important in properly stewarding gifts of this type.     

Memorial Gift Receipting, Acknowledgement, and Notification

The Gift Accounting Office will provide gift receipts for all memorial gifts received by Arch.  These gift receipts will follow the same format as other gift receipts, with the exception that receipts for memorial gifts will feature an additional field indicating the name(s) of the individual(s) being memorialized. In addition to gift receipt, each donor will receive an enhanced memorial gift acknowledgement from the Office of Donor Relations and Stewardship.  These acknowledgements will confirm that a family member has been notified of the donor’s gift and will include the name(s) of the individual(s) memorialized, the fund to which the gift was credited, the name and address of the family contact, and the toll-free contact number for the Office of Donor Relations and Stewardship.   A corresponding memorial gift notice will be sent to the designated family contact.  This notification will include the name of the individual memorialized, the fund to which the gift was credited, the name and address of the donor, and the toll-free number for the Office of Donor Relations and Stewardship.  The family notification further indicates that The Arch Foundation for the University of Georgia, Inc. have thanked the donor.  Actual gift amounts are not included on the donor’s or family contact’s enhanced gift notifications. In all instances, the donor’s actual gift receipt will indicate the amount contributed.

In-Honor Gift Receipting, Acknowledgement, and Notification

The Gift Accounting Office will provide gift receipts for all “in-honor” gifts received by Arch.  These gift receipts will follow the same format as other gift receipts, with the exception that receipts for “in-honor” gifts will feature an additional field indicating the name of the individual(s) being honored.  Following a similar process to that outlined above for memorial gifts, each donor will receive an enhanced in-honor gift acknowledgement from the Office of Donor Relations and Stewardship.  These acknowledgements will confirm that the honoree has been notified of the donor’s gift and will include the name of individual honored, the fund to which the gift was credited, the honoree’s mailing address, and the toll-free contact number for the Office of Donor Relations and Stewardship.   A corresponding in-honor gift notice will be sent to the honoree.  This notification will include the name of the individual being honored, the fund to which the gift was credited, the name and address of the donor, and the toll-free number for the Office of Donor Relations and Stewardship.  The honoree notification further indicates that the donor has been thanked by the University of Georgia and Arch.   Actual gift amounts are not included on the donor’s or the honoree’s enhanced gift notifications.   In all instances, the donor’s actual gift receipt will indicate the amount contributed.

Memorial and In-Honor Gift Reporting

Establishing Named Memorial and In-Honor Funds