Below you will find answers to many common questions about Comets Giving Day 2020.
When is Comets Giving Day 2020?
Comets Giving Day kicks off at 10 a.m. CST on Aug. 5 and runs through 6:49 p.m. on Aug. 6. That is 1,969 minutes!
What is Comets Giving Day?
Comets Giving Day is the fourth annual UT Dallas day of giving. This year, Comets Giving Day will begin on Aug. 5 at 10 a.m. and go for 1,969 minutes until Aug. 6 at 6:49 p.m. to celebrate UT Dallas' 50th anniversary! This two-day celebration encourages the entire Comet community, alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents and friends to come together to build a better UT Dallas. Through challenges, interactive leaderboards and some good-natured rivalry, you can participate and motivate others to support a favorite school, program, center or department.
Why should I participate in Comets Giving Day 2020?
The University only celebrates its 50th anniversary once. Be a part of the celebration and history!
And if that doesn't get you excited, know that state funding continues to dwindle, and tuition and fees only cover a small portion of the operating costs of the University. There is a great shortage, and that is where YOU come in. Philanthropic efforts are vital in keeping UT Dallas rising as one of the world's great higher education institutions.
How can I make a gift?
Make your gift by clicking any of the participating group tabs or the "Give Now" button the homepage between Aug. 5 at 10 a.m. through Aug. 6 at 6:49 p.m.
If you just can't wait, be counted early by making your gift at giving.utdallas.edu/cometsgivingday.
Note: Gifts made early through the link above will not be eligible for any challenge or matching opportunities on Aug. 5 and 6.
What areas can I support?
Please review the participating groups on our main Giving Day page to find the area that is most important to you. Each of the participating groups offers several options of support, including student scholarships, university organizations, transformational research and innovative patient care.
If your fund is not listed, please choose "other" from drop-down menu and write in the fund of your choice in the comment box under "final steps."
Please also take the time to sign up as a Comets Giving Day ambassador to make your support reach even further.
What if I don't see my desired group in the list of participating groups?
If you were not able to find an area you would like to support, please select “other” in the drop-down menu and include the program and/or fund name you wish to support in the “final steps” section. We will ensure your gift will be designated appropriately.
What are matching and challenge gifts?
Matching and challenge gifts encourage participation and larger gifts to the University by providing opportunities to make an event greater impact for a contribution. A complete list of challenges will be available online, and active matches and challenges can be viewed on the main landing page and the participating group’s landing page.
Take your passion further and email giving@utdallas.edu to learn how you can set up a challenge or match of your own this year.
What other ways can I get involved in Comets Giving Day?
Become a digital ambassador. Share our toolkit of sample posts and emails with your personal networks. Customize the toolkit and use your own words of why it is important for the UTD community to COMETogether on Aug. 5 and 6.
Share your stories and images via social media using the hashtag #COMETogetherUTD. Ensure your settings are set to public so Tagboard can aggregate posts and allow visitors to view live updates from the UT Dallas social media pages.
Remember, social media events will be going on throughout the days with bonus funds and UTD swag being distributed to winners. We can only see these posts if your profile is set to public.
Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes. Your gift to the University is tax deductible to the extent provided by law. Our tax ID number is 75-1305566.
You will receive your tax-deductible receipt via the mail in the weeks following Comets Giving Day.
How can I make my gift go even further?
Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match charitable contributions made by their employees. If your company is eligible, request a matching gift form from your employer and submit the completed and signed form with your gift. We will do the rest. The impact of your gift to UT Dallas may be doubled or possibly even tripled. Additionally, some companies match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses. Click here to see if your company matches.
Who should I contact with questions about my contributions?
What other creative ways can I make a gift?
Donor advised funds
Direct your fund to make a gift and mail directly to
The University of Texas at Dallas
800 W. Campbell Road, SPN 10, Richardson, TX 75080
You may also visit our major/planned gift site for more information. https://utdallasgiving.org/donor-advised-funds
*You will not receive a tax deduction from UTD, since you already received one when you gave to your donor advised fund.
IRA charitable rollover gifts (for those 70 ½+ years of age)
Ask your retirement account holder to send gifts directly from your account to UTD up to $10,000.
https://utdallasgiving.org/ira-charitable-rollover
*You pay no income taxes on the gift. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize your deductions.
Stock gifts
Reduce or even eliminate federal capital gains taxes on the transfer. You may also be entitled to a federal income tax charitable deduction based on the fair market value of the securities at the time of the transfer.
https://utdallasgiving.org/appreciated-securities
When transferring stock, please work with UT System’s Karoline Felts, kfelts@utsystem.edu, 512.579.5080.
For more information on these and other creative ways to make a gift, please contact
Anna LeBlanc, Director of Gift Planning at UT Dallas 972.883.6023 | anna.leblanc@utdallas.edu
What if I don't see my desired group to support on the Comets Giving Day drop-down?
If you were not able to find an area you would like to support, please select “other” in the drop-down menu and include the program and/or fund name you wish to support in the “final steps” section. We will ensure your gift will be designated appropriately.
Is my Comets Giving Day gift tax-deductible?
Yes. Your gift to the University is tax-deductible to the extent provided by law. Our tax ID number is 75-1305566.
You will receive your tax-deductible receipt via the mail in the weeks following Comets Giving Day.
Still have questions?
Contact us at giving@utdallas.edu