Controller's Department

ISU departments may solicit or receive cash gifts from companies or individuals who wish to make charitable contributions that benefit Iowa State University. Gifts should be made payable to the ISU Foundation. These funds are to be deposited and processed through the ISU Foundation. When a donor sends a check to an ISU department, the donor needs to include information on the gift’s designation (i.e. – for which department and for what purpose or event). For those contributions that are received from individual donors, the Contribution Form should be completed. For those contributions that are received from corporate or foundation donors and are less than $5,000, the Gift Reporting Form for Corporate and Foundation Gifts should be completed. As a general rule, a gift fee of 5% is applied to any gift.

If departments need to confirm their ISU Foundation account name/number, please contact the ISU Foundation at questions@foundation.iastate.edu. A postcard will be sent by the ISU Foundation to the donor confirming their gift shortly after the gift is received. The ISU Foundation will also send a receipt for tax purposes to the donor in late January which documents all gifts made during the prior year. See the ISU Foundation webpage for additional information. Some gifts may require additional information, or may require formal agreements between the donor and the ISU Foundation. Examples include (but are not limited to) new fund designations, named scholarship/memorial funds, and research projects that OSPA and the ISU Foundation agree can be administered as a gift. Please contact questions@foundation.iastate.edu if further clarification is needed.