Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Endowment Giving

Planned Giving

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Can I mail a check to make my gift?

Yes, absolutely. Send your gift to the following address:

Southwestern University
Development Office
P.O. Box 770
Georgetown, TX 78627-0770

If I’m making a gift, can I specify where the gift should go?

Yes, you may specify or designate where your gift goes if you wish to support a particular program or project. Undesignated gifts will be incorporated into the Southwestern Fund (unrestricted). Visit the Giving Opportunities page for additional initiatives, projects and areas that you might find most satisfying to support.

Is there a special giving program for parents?

Parents can make gifts of any size to the Parent Fund to support the highest priority needs on campus or they can designate their gift to the area of campus most important to them and their family.

Parents of current students are eligible to join the Parent Leadership Council (PLC) by making an annual gift of $2,500 or more to support any area of campus life. PLC members serve as a network of informed ambassadors for the University, help connect with and engage other parents, and have meaningful engagement with University leadership during biannual meetings. Visit the Parent Leadership Council page for more information.

I don’t see the project/program I want to support on the gift form. Can I still give to it?

Yes, simply write in your designation. We do encourage you to contact our Annual Giving Office at 512-863-1227 or gifts@southwestern.edu to confirm the project/program name and validate its current use.

Can I pledge my gift support to a specific project/program and then make regular gifts to fulfill my pledge?

Yes, you may make a pledge to be paid in full over a period of time (usually three to five years).

If I made a pledge, can I make a pledge payment online?

Yes, go to the giving form at https://www.southwestern.edu/makeagift and specify pledge payment in the “Other instructions for my gift” line.

Will I receive a receipt for tax purposes after I make my gift?

Yes. In addition to the gift receipt sent soon after your gift arrives, we also send you a summary of your calendar year contributions by January 31 of the following year to assist with your income tax preparations if your gifts to Southwestern during the calendar year total $250 or more.

Can my employer match my gift to Southwestern?

Many employers will match employee’s gifts to charities of their choice. See if your company or organization will match your gift.

How can I submit my company match?

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 Southwestern University may be doubled or possibly tripled! Some companies even match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses.

Can I make a gift in honor or in memory of an individual?

Yes, absolutely. Our online giving form has an “Other instructions for my gift” field in which you may note whether your gift is in honor or in memory and the individual’s name. If mailing a check, simply note this info on the memo line.

How can I make a gift of stock to Southwestern University?

Stock held in custody with a brokerage firm or bank trust department can be transferred directly from the custodian firm or bank to Southwestern’s account at Regions Bank. Download securities transfer instructions.

How can I support Pirate Athletics?

The Pirate Athletic Association represents a unique chance to elevate the experience of each student-athlete. Your annual contribution directly and substantially impacts more than 500 Southwestern student-athletes. Through your support, Pirate Athletics can deliver exceptional athletic experiences featuring top-tier training facilities, equipment, travel arrangements, and enhancements to coaches recruiting travel and professional development.

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What is the difference between a current use gift and an endowment gift?

A current use gift is any contribution that may be expendable in part or in full at any time by the University. An endowment gift adds to the permanent capital of the University since our endowment is an aggregation of assets invested to support SU’s educational mission in perpetuity.

What does the Southwestern Endowment Fund support?

Endowments support a wide variety of programs and projects (scholarships, high impact experiences for students, faculty development/scholarship/creative works, faculty positions, academic departments, fine arts initiatives, athletic teams, etc.) at Southwestern.

Growing our endowment is the best way to guarantee Southwestern’s long-term financial health, sustain its academic excellence, and honor its commitment to providing access and affordability to admitted students through need-based financial aid. With a gift to endowment, you provide permanent support for the University. All endowment principal is invested and each year a portion of the earnings is used to support the University and the purposes specified by donors.

Is there a minimum amount needed to establish an endowment fund?

Southwestern’s minimum funding levels begin at $50,000. For more information, contact the Development Office at 512-863-1211 or gifts@southwestern.edu.

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I’d like to name Southwestern in my will. How can I do that?

Estate planning can be an invaluable opportunity to consider not only your personal philanthropic goals, but also the values and legacy you would like to leave for future generations. Donors of all income levels and financial capabilities can support Southwestern through thoughtful planning. There are a variety of giving instruments that can help you achieve your goals.

As you consult your attorney on the selection of appropriate wording to reflect your own goals and intentions regarding Southwestern University for your will or trust, please use the following wording to describe the University.

Southwestern University at Georgetown, Texas, Federal tax identification 74-1233796.

You may designate your bequest for a specific purpose or leave it unrestricted in order to meet the University’s most pressing needs at the time it is received.

Choose the type of bequest that is best for you:

• A Specific or General Bequest. Give Southwestern a specific asset or amount of money.
• A Percentage Bequest. Give Southwestern a percentage of all of your estate.
• A Residuary Bequest. Give Southwestern a portion of the residual amount that is left in your estate after all specific bequests have been satisfied.
• A Contingent Bequest. Give Southwestern an amount or percentage of your estate that will only be granted if a certain event occurs first.

Sample Language

For a bequest providing unrestricted support:

“I hereby give and bequeath to Southwestern University at Georgetown, Texas, Federal tax identification 74-1233796, _____ dollars ($___) [or ____ percent (___%) or all of the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate] to be applied to the general uses and purposes of said institution.”

We encourage everyone who would like to create a restricted bequest (a bequest allocated to a specific area of the University – for example, academic department, scholarships or faculty support), to contact the Office of Gift and Estate Planning, at 512-863-1485, so that we can discuss the parameters of your desired gift, and how it matches Southwestern’s needs. This conversation will also help ensure that your wishes are understood and can be fulfilled in the future.

Visit our Planned Giving website for additional information.

I’d like to make a gift to Southwestern from my IRA. How do I do that?

If you are 70½ years old or older, you can give any amount up to $100,000 per year from your IRA directly to a qualified charity without having to pay income taxes on the money. Ask your IRA administrator about making a qualified charitable distribution to Southwestern or have the administrator send a check from your account to us. (To be tax-free, the donation must go directly from your account to Southwestern without passing through your hands.) For more information, visit Southwestern’s Planned Giving website.