Giving to FAST

Gift Policies and Disclosures

Donor Rights

Families and Schools Together, Inc. solicits funds in a respectful manner and without pressure. If you designate a contribution to a particular program / project; and, thus restrict its use, we will honor that designation. Families & Schools Together is a non-profit 501(c)(3)organization.

Any information supplied to Families & Schools Together by donors will be used solely to fulfill their donative intent and shall not be shared for any reason (except where legally required) unless the donor grants permission to share such information. All requests to remain anonymous shall be honored.

Families & Schools Together does not sell or share its donor lists with third parties.

Donors who supply Families & Schools Together with their postal address or email address may be contacted periodically for education or solicitation purposes and/or with information regarding upcoming events. Donors may request to be permanently removed from Families & Schools Together’s mailing list by contacting Families & Schools Together via email, phone or postal mail. All requests to be removed from the mailing list shall be honored.

Additionally, Families & Schools Together’s donors and prospective donors have the right:

• To be informed of Families & Schools Together’s mission, of the way we intend to use donated resources, and of our capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.
• To be informed of the identity of those serving on Families & Schools Together’s governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.
• To have access to the organization’s most recent financial statements.
• To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
• To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.
• To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality.
• To expect that all relationships with individuals representing Families & Schools Together of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.
• To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of Families & Schools Together, or hired solicitors.
• To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful, and forthright answers.

Gift Acceptance

Gifts to Families & Schools Together may be made in any amount. Gifts may be designated for a specific program or purpose, or in lieu of designating a specific purpose; gifts may be unrestricted in which case they will be disbursed to the area of greatest need at the discretion of the Families & Schools Together Board of Directors.

1. Gifts of Cash. Families & Schools Together accepts gifts of cash, checks, money orders, and via credit card.
2. Marketable Securities. Families & Schools Together accepts gifts of publicly traded stocks and bonds. Unless its board of directors grants a specific exemption, Families & Schools Together will immediately sell all gifts of stock or property. Gifts of stock are valued at the average of the high and low trading prices for the day the stock transfers into the control of Families & Schools Together. To contribute stock that is held in certificate form, Families & Schools Together must be notified in advance and specific instructions will be provided.
3. Gift planning instruments, such as bequests, IRA charitable rollovers, benefitting designation gifts from a retirement, investment, bank account or life insurance policy, charitable gift annuities, and charitable remainder trusts.

Families & Schools Together does not engage in rendering legal or accounting advice. For tax purposes, please seek the guidance of a tax professional. It is the responsibility of the donor, with advice from his or her professional advisors, to substantiate any tax deductions and to comply with IRS regulations and policies.

Gift Disclosures

Tax Identification Number: 39-1895298

Receipts: Gift receipts are provided for all gift transactions. These receipts are intended to comply with the IRS requirements regarding written acknowledgment of gifts and disclosure of any benefits provided to donors in exchange for gifts. All gifts to Families & Schools Together are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. No benefits were provided to you in consideration for your gift, unless noted on the face of the receipt. If noted, the amount stated as the fair market value of any benefits provided has been estimated as closely as possible.

Administrative fee on gifts: A modest portion of the gift principal and/or income may be used to partially defray the costs of raising and administering funds.

Gift terms: Any restrictive terms and conditions associated with gifts are subject to approval from Families & Schools Together.

Donor recognition: One of the ways our gratitude is expressed to donors is by listing their name in various Families & Schools Together publications. For recognition purposes, Families & Schools Together will list the first and last name of an individual donor. If our database reflects a joint account, the standard listing is the first name of each donor and the same last name. For corporate contributions, the business name will be listed.

If you prefer to be recognized in a different format or do not want your name listed, please communicate this to us in one of the following ways:

• Send an e-mail to answers@familiesandschools.org
• Call us at 608-663-2382 and leave a message

Please include your name, telephone number, and how you prefer to be recognized.