Charitable Giving and Development

We have counseled colleges and universities, as well as other not for profit institutions, for many years on the legal and practical issues surrounding charitable giving and the institution's development function. We guide institutions through the maze of rules governing the deductibility of charitable gifts so that they may work more effectively with potential donors. We regularly assist institutions in establishing and maintaining endowment programs including the design of endowment policies and agreements, interpreting the legal and accounting constraints on amounts which can be expended out of endowments, and structuring appropriate responses to changes in factual situations or improper or unduly restrictive conditions on existing gifts. We offer counsel on the full array of available planned giving options from simple bequests, to implementing and guiding institutions with charitable gift annuity programs, to helping institutions work with potential donors on charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, and related charitable giving vehicles. We regularly work with our general tax and public finance lawyers to help institutions design creative ways to meet their capital needs.