Giving Opportunities

You can support the exceptional range of academic, spiritual, and community service initiatives at CUC in many ways. However you choose to support CUC, you will be embarking on a partnership with an institution committed to excellence and service.

Become part of The Giving Community at Columbia Union College today by making a gift!

Outright Gifts
Gifts of cash, securities or other property have an immediate impact on CUC's schools and programs because they can be used to support a variety of current needs.

Gift Pledges
A pledge is a formal statement of intention to make a gift to CUC. It may be followed by an immediate gift, or it may simply confirm your intention to make a gift in the future. Many donors choose to complete their gift pledge by making regular payments over a period of time. This method often allows donors to give more generously than they may have originally considered.

Gifts with Retained Interest
This type of gift allows you to hold an interest in that gift for your lifetime or for a specified term of years. After that time, the funds become available to the College. A charitable trust or gift of real estate may fall under this category. When you make your gift, you have the satisfaction of knowing that plans you make today will help to support the College in the next century.

Unrestricted Gifts
When you do not restrict the use of your gift, the College gains crucial flexibility. Unrestricted gifts are used to meet changing or urgent needs such as library acquisitions, state-of-the-art technology, equipment, or other new initiatives.

Gifts of Endowment
A gift for endowment demonstrates your farsighted commitment to the College. An endowment is a fund that is maintained in perpetuity, and only a portion of the annual investment return is used for the purposes specified by the donor. The rest of the investment yield is returned to principle. Thus, over the years, the fund can grow and hopefully keep pace with inflation. Such endowments, which typically bear the name of the donor or donors, reflect your interests and serve as an enduring testament to your generosity.

Appreciated Securities
A gift of long-term appreciated marketable securities helps you save taxes twice. Such a gift will provide an income-tax charitable deduction and capital gains tax savings.

Closely Held Securities
Securities in a company that is not publicly traded are known as closely held securities. When a door makes a gift of these securities to CUC, the donor may enjoy tax savings and can even increase income from the donated stock.

Matching Gifts
Many corporations have demonstrated their support for CUC by matching, or multiplying, their employees' gifts to the College. As you make a gift, consult your company's personnel office for further information about matching programs.

Gifts of Real Estate
When you give a gift of your home or real property to CUC, you may claim an income-tax charitable deduction based on the full market value of the gift, avoid capital gains taxes, and eliminate certain costs associated with the transfer of real property. Gifts of real estate also can provide income to you as a gift with retained interest.

Gifts-in-Kind
You may wish to give CUC a personal possession of special interest. The College receives a wide variety of such gifts, including rare books and manuscripts, works of art, equipment and other items. To determine the College's interest in the object you would like to give, please contact CUC's Development Office.

Making a Planned Gift
Planned gifts are gift arrangements that have specific tax advantages and often include lifetime income to a beneficiary or beneficiaries named by the donor. A planned gift maximizes your giving potential and can even allow you to ensure your future financial security or that of a loved one. For further information about making a planned gift or bequest to CUC, visit the CUC Gift Planning and Trust Services page on this website. Click here for more information.

The Rewards of Giving
Your gift can make the difference in a promising student's ability to realize his or her dreams, support the innovative work of a distinguished faculty scholar, build a needed facility, or launch a vital new community program.

For in-depth information on any aspect of giving, please contact the CUC Development Office at 301-891-4151 or email bzervos@cuc.edu.