A UTFI Gift Fund is a specialized, tax-exempt account used to receive, manage, and hold philanthropic contributions. A Registered Student Organization (RSO) may want to set up a Gift Fund for donors to make a tax-exempt/tax-deductible donation to their organization. Contact the Office of Advancement at [email protected] to set up a specialized gift fund for your RSO.

If desired, a giving link can be created to easily direct a potential donor to give to a fund without having to search for it on the main giving website.

A VOLstarter is a crowdfunding platform best used when funding is needed beyond average expenses. A VOLstarter is similar to a GoFundMe, where a goal is set and shared on the VOLstarter website, along with a specific link to the page to share with potential donors to the cause. Administered by the UT Foundation, VOLstarter has helped fund scholarships, student organization competition and conference expenses, equipment costs, and more through direct network support.

As contributions through VOLstarter are given via the UT Foundation and are aimed to support specific areas of the university they are eligible for income tax deductions, as allowed by law.

For more information, please review The VOLstarter Handbook as well as visit volstarter.utk.edu.

Held annually, Big Orange Give is the university’s day of giving via the UT Foundation. It is a 24-hour online challenge for alumni, friends, parents, students, faculty, staff, and fans to show their support of Rocky Top. Registered Student Organizations have an opportunity to participate in Big Orange Give to raise money for their organization.

Contact the Office of Advancement at [email protected] for more information if your organization would like to participate in the next Big Orange Give.

Contact the Office of Advancement at [email protected] for help in completing a W-9 for a donor. The W-9 will have to be completed with the UTFI’s information, but as long as you have a UTFI gift fund, you can use this information. If you do not have a UTFI gift fund, ask the Office of Advancement for help in setting one up.

You are not allowed to use the university’s tax ID number, however, if you have a UTFI gift fund, you can use the UT Foundation’s tax ID number. Contact the Office of Advancement at [email protected] to request this number.

Yes, contact the Office of Advancement [email protected] to get a list of donors who have donated to your organization.

Contact the Finance Manager for RSO UTFI Gift Support at [email protected] to request your organization’s balance.

Gift Funds are accessible to Registered Student Organizations that have raised contributions through the UT Foundation using platforms such as Big Orange Give, VolStarter, and/or through individual gifts.

The purchase methods listed below are available only to RSOs whose UT Foundation gift accounts are administered by the Center for Student Engagement. (Organizations affiliated with an Academic College or Department, the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life, or RecSports/Sports Clubs should contact their respective offices for guidance on fund expenditures.)

Purchase Requests can only be submitted by a current officer listed on the organization’s VOLink page. By submitting a purchase request, the officer affirms their authorization to make financial decisions on behalf of the organization.

The following types of purchase requests may be submitted via RSO Gift Expense form using your RSO’s UTFI gift account. Each type has different rules and requirements. Contact the Finance Manager for RSO UTFI Gift Support (insert link to email address, when created) for more information.

• Reimbursement
• Invoice Payment
• Internal Campus Orders
• Procurement Card Purchase
• Travel Costs

A give-back sponsorship is when an RSO works with a local company to give a portion of their sales back to the RSO. Examples: percentage nights at local restaurants like Chipotle or Cruze Farms, where RSOs receive a portion of sales during a specific window

A sponsorship can look different to each group, but in essence, it is when a third party gives the RSO money for some service in return.  Examples: A specific t-shirt or uniform is worn with a competition that has a third-party logo printed on it; a third party is given permission to table or have product placement at an event

Gifts-in-kind are physical items (art, shelving, event supplies, etc.) that have a monetary value. Donors give these items instead of actual cash gifts but still receive donor credit with the UT Foundation.

Examples: a local business donates 5,000 bottles of water for a Welcome Week event, a local business donates a bounce house for three hours, a donor provides a weekend stay at a vacation property for a silent auction.