THE ANNUAL FUND
The College of Health and Social Services

THANK YOU for your interest in the College of Health and Social Services. As our third decade unfolds, CHSS is committed to educating men and women who are both exceptional students and dedicated professionals

Students who are enrolled in the CHSS, and their families, pay only a portion of the total cost of a quality college education. We depend on the support of alumni and friends to make up the difference. Every year, caring alumni and friends generously give of their financial resources to assist our students and further the college’s educational mission. Support from our friends comes to CHSS most often through the CHSS ANNUAL FUND. The Annual Fund provides a financial foundation for everything we do.

The combined support of numerous alumni, friends, foundations and corporations allows us to provide financial assistance to our students. Each year, CHSS awards almost forty thousand dollars of tuition assistance to our most deserving students from the university's general operating funds. For some students, the assistance they receive in CHSS scholarships is the crucial factor that allows them to remain in college. Your gift, through the CHSS ANNUAL FUND, makes an enduring difference for students, touching lives throughout the world.

Corporate Matching Gifts

A growing number of corporations choose to partner with their employees to support higher education. These companies agree to send a check equal to the amount of your support, multiplying the impact of your gifts to CHSS. (Some corporations give double or triple the amount of employee/retiree gifts. Many match gifts of publicly-traded stock and estate gifts.) Your gift is important to us, and we encourage you to consider maximizing its impact through your company's matching gift program.

Who is eligible?

Full-time employees are normally eligible. Retirees, directors, employee spouses and part-time employees may also be eligible. Check with your personnel or human resources office for more information.

Where do I get matching gift forms?

You may request matching gift forms through your human resources department.

What is the procedure?

Fill out the employee section of the matching gift forms and send it to us along with your check made payable to New Mexico State University - College of Health and Social Services. (Credit cards are also accepted.) We do the rest. It's that simple. We will submit the completed form and notify you when the matching gift arrives.

LEVELS OF GIVING

Alumni and friends of the College of Health and Social Services play a vitally important role in shaping the future of our educational mission. Through their generosity, these giving partners help develop and maintain programs and facilities, provide opportunities for students and faculty, and strengthen the college for the future.

To recognize and encourage the commitment of a very special group of CHSS friends, the college has established five levels of annual support. Friends of CHSS who give gifts of one dollar to $499 are recognized as a Sponsor. Donors of gifts throughout the year totaling $500-$999 are recognized as a Partner.

Alumni and friends who contribute $1,000 or more to the CHSS annually are recognized at one of three remaining levels of support: The Pacesetter Club, The Heritage Society, and The Dean's Society. This growing group of alumni and friends demonstrates their commitment through significant support for the CHSS educational mission. Participation is welcomed at each level of support.

These donors give to support every area of the college. At the donor's discretion, qualifying gifts may be designated to the CHSS Annual Fund, a particular project, facility, department or designated for an endowment. These partners are recognized in the annual report issue of CHSS News Today.

MEMORIAL AND TRIBUTE GIFTS

Any gift to the College of Health and Social Services may be given in memory or in tribute to someone whose life you deeply admire. Memorials and honor gifts offer creative ways to remember others.

Because so many of us have all the material things they needed, more and more people are supporting worthy causes as a way of paying tribute to that special person "who has everything." When the College receives a gift in tribute, we immediately notify the honoree. Gift amounts are not disclosed. In addition all gifts, regardless of size, are acknowledged in the Dean's annual report issue of CHSS News Today.

"Gifts made in honor of loved ones to commemorate a birthday, wedding, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, anniversary, or graduation, or the birth of a grandchild, can be sincere reminders to friends or family members of how much you care."

A gift in memory is a heartfelt way to honor the memory of the family members and friends who have lived before. When we receive a memorial gift, we notify the family member you specify, informing them of the gift.

If you wish to honor a friend on a special occasion with a tribute gift or remember the memory of a loved one through a memorial gift, send your check, along with the names and addresses of the persons to be notified. Send your gift to:

New Mexico State University
Office of Development
The College of Health & Social Services
P.O. Box 30001, MSC 3446
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003

*or you may use your credit card by calling
The Director of Development
505.646.2072

GIVING TO ESTABLISH A PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FUND

You may wish to designate that your memorial or tribute gift be applied to an endowment for CHSS.

A gift to establish a permanent endowment fund at the College of Health and Social Services is a gift that remains in perpetuity. The principal of an endowment gift is invested by the CHSS and a portion of the earnings is used every year to help fund our charitable mission. Endowment gifts may benefit any number of particular projects of the donor's interest--scholarships, professorships, and support of research or facilities maintenance. New endowment gifts may be used to strengthen existing departmental funds, such as the CHSS General Scholarship Endowment, or the operational endowment. In addition, naming opportunities are available for certain endowment gifts that provide a meaningful way for a donor to pay tribute to a special loved one. Contact the Development Office for more information.

"Endowment is the financial bedrock which allows an institution like ours to charge students less in tuition than the full cost of a quality college education."

PLANNED GIVING OPTIONS

Gifts of Cash

Gifts of cash may be made outright or pledged over a period of up to five years. Checks should be made payable to New Mexico State University - CHSS. If you are an itemizer, your gift is fully tax-deductible up to 50 percent of your adjusted gross income. Any excess may be carried forward for up to five years. You may designate the use of your gift by enclosing a statement regarding its use.

Gifts of Appreciated Property

If you own stocks, bonds, mutual funds or other assets that have increased in value since the time of purchase, you may find it advantageous to give them to the CHSS. Your outright gift of long-term, appreciated securities is exempt from capital gains taxes and, if you itemize, you may claim a charitable income tax deduction equal to the full fair market value of the property at the time of transfer. For gifts of property, your gift is fully deductible for up to 30 percent of your adjusted gross income, and like gifts of cash, may be carried forward for up to five years.

Life Income Gifts

Donors may make a gift to the CHSS and receive direct financial benefits including an income for life for the donor and/or the donor’s spouse, and a charitable income tax deduction. There are several options including the charitable gift annuity, the deferred gift annuity and the pooled income fund. These options require a minimum gift of $5,000, and the gift may be designated to benefit any department or program at CHSS.

Charitable Remainder Trusts

A charitable remainder trust is a personalized life income gift that provides a donor with a lifetime income and a charitable income tax deduction. The donor selects the payout rate, usually between 5 and 7 percent, providing the donor and the donor’s spouse with an income every year for life. The higher the payout rate, the lower the charitable tax deduction. If the donor funds the trust with appreciated securities, the donor will avoid capital gains taxes. The donor selects the trustee who may invest in almost any investment including tax-free bonds. Donors may designate the remainder of their trust to benefit any program or department.

Gifts of Real Estate

You can make a gift of commercial or residential real estate to the CHSS and receive substantial benefits. For an outright gift of real estate, the donor receives a charitable income tax deduction based on the fair market value (appraised value) of the property. If you are considering leaving your home to the CHSS through your will, you may wish to consider giving it now but retain the right to live in it during your lifetime. You are still responsible for paying taxes, insurance, and
maintenance costs, but you do receive a substantial charitable income tax deduction in the year the gift is made. In some cases, real estate may be used to provide a life income stream through a charitable remainder trust or other gift planning option.

Estate Planning

For many donors, a gift made through a will or trust is the most realistic way to make a major gift. Property, including cash, securities, jewelry, works of art, and real estate, may be given through a will or trust. Through estate planning provisions, a donor may leave to the CHSS a specific dollar amount, for example, $100,000 or a specific percentage, such as 25% of the estate. The donor may stipulate whether the bequest is for the general support of CHSS or for a specific purpose. A bequest may also be made in honor or memory of another individual. All outright bequests to the CHSS are exempt from federal estate taxes.

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New Mexico State University
Office of Development
The College of Health & Social Services
P.O. Box 30001, MSC 3446
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003

Phone - 505.646.2072