Ways to Donate to UPEI
Legacy gifts contribute to UPEI in a number of important ways. Donors have the ability to direct their gift to a specific area of the university or establish an undesignated gift that will be used for university priorities.
There are many ways a donor can play a critical role in the university's future. Support to scholarships and awards, gifts for capital needs, program enhancement and research, and aid for students who wish to study abroad are only some of the areas that benefit from donor support. We will work with you to ensure that your legacy is specific to your area of interest and passion.
As a trusted and respected charity, UPEI encourages all donors to seek professional advice as they consider planning a gift to UPEI.
In December 2017, UPEI received a leadership gift from the Estate of H. Ruth MacDonald. She remembered UPEI through a planned gift in her Will in memory of her husband Roderick. The significant contribution she provided has created the Roderick Stirling MacDonald Scholarships that will impact hundreds of UPEI students in the coming years, assisting in imparting them with skills that will enhance our local and global communities.
Planning gifts
There are many options for planning gifts to UPEI. Ultimately you make the decision about which type of planned giving is best for you.
- Bequest by will: Designate UPEI as beneficiary of a percentage or amount of your estate. Funds can be specific, unrestricted, or residual.
- Life insurance: Name UPEI as the beneficiary on an insurance plan or transfer an existing policy to UPEI.
- Gifts of securities: Designate UPEI as beneficiary of RRSPs or RRIFs. You can use this Marketable Securities Gifts form.
- Charitable remainder trust: Ensure your beneficiaries are paid income for their lifetime and that the remainder is designated to UPEI.
- Gift of residual interest: Make a gift of property to UPEI while retaining the property for your lifetime.
- Gifts in kind: Donate tangible objects to UPEI (books, art, collectable, etc).
- Gifts of real estate: Both private and commercial real estate make excellent gifts.
Giving options
- Monthly giving: By giving an amount each month that’s right for you, you will be contributing in a significant way. Knowing that we can count on your support each month allows us to plan for the future. Many of our most loyal donors give in this way. (Pre-authorized debit and credit card, and online)
- Annual giving: If you would like to show your support to UPEI or AVC in a way that allows us to make decisions based on expected funding from our loyal donors, please consider making a multiyear pledge. You may cancel your commitment at any time if your circumstances change. (Pre-authorized debit and credit card, and online)
- Matching gift companies: Employer matching gift programs enable corporations and their employees to collaborate in their charitable giving. Please contact Rose Barbour to determine if your employer has a matching gift program. If they do, you can obtain a form from your company’s Human Resources Department. Your gift will have double the impact!
- Tribute gifts: You can make your gift to the Annual Fund Campaign in honour or memory of someone. UPEI will send a card to the person that you are honouring with your gift. They’ll feel good and so will you! If you are giving in memory of someone, the family will be notified. Be sure to include the person/family’s contact information when you send your gift. We will also list the person’s name in the tribute section of our Annual Donor Report.
Endowed Funds
“When I learned UPEI would not be able to offer the same level of scholarship due to the performance of investments, I was pleased to offer to contribute an additional amount to my grandmother's scholarship. The fact that my contribution could go directly to top up the scholarship and keep the amount awarded the same as in the prior year was an important factor in my decision. During these unsettled times in the financial markets, I wanted to ensure that the student recipients of awards and gifts were not negatively affected."
- Cathy Cudmore,
Evelyn M. Cudmore Memorial Scholarship
What is an Endowed Fund?
An endowed fund can make your influence last for generations. These funds can support students, faculty, programs or building maintenance in perpetuity, or over an extended period of time, depending on your specifications. When you endow a fund, you may name it after yourself, or you may name it to honour and pay tribute to mentors or loved ones. For certain purposes, such as providing unrestricted resources for an academic unit or for a student award, you may establish an endowed fund with a minimum $25,000 gift.
You may establish an endowed fund in several ways:
- Donating cash,
- Donating securities,
- Creating a planned gift such as a bequest in your will, or
- A combination of these options.
Thank you for considering creating an endowed fund at UPEI!
For more information on endowed funds, please contact Kathy Weatherbie, Senior Development and Donor Relations Officer, at (902) 894-2865, or by email at krweatherbie@upei.ca.