Date Available
5-28-2025
Year of Publication
2025
Document Type
Graduate Capstone Project
Degree Name
Master of Public Financial Management
College
Graduate School
Department/School/Program
Public Administration
Faculty
Prof. Urton Anderson
Committee Member
Dr. Iuliia Shybalkina
Faculty
Dr. Josh Bush
Abstract
Currently, no consistent standards exist for how institutions of higher education should manage their non-endowed gift revenue. Good stewardship of gift funds is vital to ensuring the maintenance of donor relationships to create unions that bring further financial opportunities to universities for years to come. Public institutions, as recipients of government dollars, are especially vulnerable to the negative repercussions that could come with the scandal of misappropriated gift dollars. Overall cash donations to higher education have significantly increased in the past few decades as state appropriations fall short and the need to keep tuition rates stable increases. It is more important than ever to ensure university gift funds are being appropriately managed. As there is not a comprehensive guide for university budget and gift management professionals to follow, this paper seeks to identify the gift management policies that individual public universities currently have in place. Ten state flagship public universities were randomly selected. Their gift management policies were analyzed, and common themes identified to build a best practice guide.
Recommended Citation
Costello, Cristin, "Public University Gift Management Policies: Building a Best Practice Guide" (2025). MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects. 462.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/mpampp_etds/462
