Pledge Form

Contact Information

Rashida A. Johnson, Director of Development
2041 Georgia Avenue, Room 219
Washington, DC 20060
(202) 806-5700 - (202) 667-1686 (Fax)
rasjohnson@howard.edu

Ways of Giving

By contributing to the Howard University Cancer Center, you have the unique opportunity to contribute to the advancement of research, education and clinical outreach programs that will enhance the quality of our patient care. Donations from corporations and foundations and individuals enable us to continue to provide cutting edge care while still providing generous resources to enhance the work of our researchers and clinicians. The Office of Advancement has created a variety of giving options that provide many tax saving benefits to our donors.

Cash/Check — Gifts of cash or check are the most common form of giving to the Howard University Cancer Center. These gifts can provide substantial federal income tax benefits to donors. Many charitable deductions can provide a tax return of up to the entire value of the contribution. Actual tax benefits will depend on the rate of return at the time the gift is made.

Gifts in the form of checks are highly encouraged. All checks should be made payable to The Howard University Cancer Center. If a donor is desirous of making a gift to a specific clinical department or educational program, please write in the designation in the memo section of the check.

In Memory/Honor of Gift — If you would like your gift to be in memory or honor of someone, please attach a separate note indicating the name of the person to be honored/memorialized and the name and address of all persons to send an official acknowledgement of the gift.

Property and Personal Assets — Donations of real estate and artwork can be appraised to make a charitable gift. The receive from giving personal property, or stocks, bond, securities or real estate

Matching Gift — Many employers participate in a matching gift program which matches the amount of charitable giving their employees contribute to non-profit organizations. With a matching gift program, employees are acknowledged for both the personal gift they make as well as the gift from their employers. Howard University has made it convenient to find out if your employer has a matching gift program.

http://www.howard.edu/advancement/campaign/contribute/matchinggifts.html

If your company is eligible, request a matching gift form from your employer, and send it completed and signed with your gift. We will do the rest. The impact of your gift to Howard may be doubled or possibly tripled! Some companies match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses.

Planned Gifts

The Office of Advancement has facilitated an easier way to maximize a donor’s giving potential. Contributions can be made in the form of stocks, bonds, securities, life insurance, retirement accounts, real estate, artwork, or a personal will. These gifts are designed to maximize a donors long term financial plans. Attach link to

• Charitable Lead Trusts — Charitable lead trusts are most appealing to wealthy donors who want to pass appreciated assets to their heirs at a reduced gift or estate tax cost. Charitable lead trusts allow Howard University Cancer Center to receive income from the donor's assets for a specified time, after which time the asset is returned to the donor or to the donor's heirs who do not have to pay any additional taxes.

If your children or grandchildren will be the recipients of the trust assets, you may pay a gift tax on the asset when it is placed into the trust, but the gift tax will be reduced by the charitable value of the trust income paid to Howard. Once the asset is placed into the trust, it can grow tax-free.

Assets appropriate for a charitable lead trust are bonds, listed securities, closely held stock and income-producing real estate.

• Bequests — Bequests are the most common and simplest form of planned gift that Howard has been fortunate to receive. A bequest is a gift - large or small - that is made through a donor's will. Individuals may include the Howard University Cancer Center in their wills by naming Howard University Cancer Center for a specific dollar amount (called a "legacy"), a specific asset, or a percent share of their estate. Donors can also name Howard University Cancer Center as the residual beneficiary of their estates after the payment of bequests to others.

Donors do not owe any federal estate tax on the amount of the bequest. Many states allow full inheritance tax deductions as well.

• Charitable Remainder Trusts

Unitrust — Under a unitrust, the donor receives one or more yearly payments equaling a fixed percentage of the value of the asset, which is assessed each year. As the value of the asset grows, so does your income. Under a net income unitrust, the donor receives only the income earned by the trust, even if the trust earns less than the payout rate. However, the trust can be set up to include a "make-up provision," which allows the donor to make up the lost income, provided the trust earns more than the payout rate in future years. You can also invest the principal of the trust in securities that pay tax-exempt income.

Annuity Trust — Under an annuity trust, the donor receives a yearly fixed payment equaling at least five percent of the value of the asset at the time the deferred giving agreement was signed. People who want a predictable income each year like this option. Donors who contribute charitable remainder trusts may receive income tax deductions and escape capital gains taxes. Many donors find the trusts an appealing way to prepare for retirement. The assets can be invested to earn a lower rate of return when the donor is younger and then shifted to earn a higher rate of return, providing more income during the donor's later years.

Contribute Life Insurance — You can make a gift of a whole or universal life insurance policy by naming Howard University the irrevocable owner and beneficiary of the policy. In fact, there are several attractive ways to use life insurance as a charitable gift.

1. You can contribute a paid-up policy that you no longer need. This does not diminish your current income at all and may provide you with an income tax deduction for the replacement value of the policy. Your gift may also save you considerable estate taxes.
2. You can give a policy that is not paid up as well and take a deduction for the "cash surrender value" of the policy. You would continue to make gifts to Howard to pay the premiums and these gifts would be deductible as charitable contributions.
3. You could fund a Charitable Remainder Unitrust for your spouse with life insurance. The premium payments would be partially tax deductible, and the trust will provide income for your spouse after your death.
4. You can give appreciated property to Howard and use the income tax savings to purchase life insurance for your family

Endowed Funds —Ongoing donor support is essential to the sustenance of vital programs and research in key area of cancer development. A donor or family can support the Cancer Center by creating an endowed fund, which would forge a permanent bond between the donor and the Center. Endowed funds are carefully managed for growth and are preserved forever. They provide crucial annual income to an area selected by the donor, whose gift builds a legacy that will uphold the mission of the institution and lend urgently needed support to individual departments. Endowed funds may also serve as tributes to loved ones by bearing their names.

To learn more about endowing funds at HUCC, please contact the Office of University Advancement at 202-806-5700.

Making an Online Gift

Please fill out and direct gift to the Howard University Cancer Center at
https://www.howard.edu/advancement/donation/creditcard.asp