Ways to Give to L&S

Charitable contributions offer an opportunity to support the mission of the College and UC Berkeley in a way that reflects your own needs and objectives. For inquiries about how to make a gift, contact us at LSgiving@berkeley.edu or visit our Office of Development and College Relations.

Outright Gifts

Gifts of cash are among the most valuable forms of support for L&S. Because they are immediately available and are often unrestricted, they provide flexibility to meet L&S's most pressing needs.

You can make your tax-deductible gift by credit card now. Once you complete and submit the form, you will receive confirmation of your donation. 

Gifts made by check should be payable to “UC Berkeley Foundation” and mailed with a letter stating your gift’s purpose to:

University of California, Berkeley
Gift Services, UDAR
1995 University Avenue, Suite 400
Berkeley, CA 94704-1070

Questions? Please contact Gift Services at 510-643-9789 or GiftHelp@berkeley.edu

Monthly payments via electronic funds transfer may be arranged through your bank and the UC Berkeley Foundation. An EFT authorization form must be submitted to the university to activate monthly withdrawals. See the form for contact information.

Pledges

By spreading payments over a period of time — typically not more than five years —pledges allow donors to make larger commitments at a comfortable pace. For more information, contact our Office of Development and College Relations.

Bank Wire Transfer

Wire transfers are most commonly used for gifts made from outside the United States. Since banks provide minimal information on wire transfers, please alert our office that a wire transfer has been made to ensure proper disposition of the gift. For more information, contact our Office of Development and College Relations.

Gifts of Securities

Securities can be transferred directly from your brokerage account to the university’s account. (Securities are recorded based on the mean market value of the stock on the date of the gift, which is the date you relinquish control of the stock.) For more information, contact our Office of Development and College Relations.

Planned Gifts

A planned or deferred gift is a donation pledged to the university by a donor to be transferred to the university according to a schedule determined by the donor. These contributions are made to the university through a bequest, charitable trust, charitable gift annuity, pooled income fund, life estate agreement, or similar vehicles. Berkeley’s team of gift planning experts can help you select from a wide variety of tax-wise giving strategies. For more information, contact our Office of Development and College Relations.

Real Property

Gifts of real estate, including land, buildings, and other improvements and oil, mineral, and related rights, are accepted on a case-by-case basis. Outright gifts of real estate are counted at their fair market value on the date of the gift. The campus is responsible for negotiating gifts of real property with the donor and reviewing the property title, value, and potential for the existence of hazardous substances. To begin the process, please contact our Office of Development and College Relations.

Gifts-in-Kind

Gifts-in-kind are items of tangible personal property such as art, books, computer equipment, and automobiles. They are donated for related educational purposes and are recorded at their fair market value. Gifts-in-kind valued in excess of $500 should be accompanied by a deed of gift and the fair market value as determined by the donor. The IRS and the university require that you provide an independent appraisal of gifts-in-kind valued at more than $5,000. For more information, contact our Office of Development and College Relations.

Memorial and Honorary Gifts

A memorial gift can help perpetuate the values and ideals that guided someone’s life. Honorary gifts commemorate a significant event or someone who is still living. Such gifts can be made to the L&S Leadership Fund for general support of L&S’s educational mission, or donors may direct their support to specific purposes.

The procedures for making such gifts are similar to those for cash, checks, credit cards, and securities as described above. Please be sure to identify the individual who is being honored with the gift. For more information, contact our Office of Development and College Relations.

Matching Gifts

Hundreds of companies currently match their employees’ gifts to UC Berkeley. You receive full credit for your matching gifts for the purposes of recognition and benefits. For receipting and tax reasons, the matched portion of the gift must be recorded on the corporation’s record. For more information, contact our Office of Development and College Relations.