UAF Financial Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Sections:
General
Scholarships
Accounts Payable (Disbursements)
Accounts Receivable (Receipts)
General
Q: What is UAFDN.org
A: UAFDN.org is the Foundation’s web application where campus users can access financial information and policies of the UAF Financial Services office.
Q: How do I gain access to UAFDN.org?
A: Complete a UAF Online Access Request Form.
Q: Who do I contact for questions regarding UAF Financial Services?
A: Send questions to fssupport@uafoundation.org.
Q: Where can I find the UA Foundation Financial Services policies?
A: Log in to UAFDN.org. Go to Forms & Information – Policies & Guidelines. Changes to policies are also noted in the News (Forms & Information – News).
Q: How do I open a project at the UA Foundation?
A: Complete a New Project Request Form.
Q: How do I know what type of project to open?
A: The type of Foundation project to be established depends on the restrictions placed on the funds by the donor. Funds received that are to be expended for a specific purpose require the establishment of a restricted (Fund 20) project. Funds received that are to be held and invested for perpetuity with a payout available for expenditure for a specified purpose require the establishment of an endowment (Fund 40) project.
Q: How do I know if my transaction has been processed?
A: Log in to UAFDN.org. Go to Queries & Reports – Project Information, enter the project number and view if transaction has been posted.
Q: What are the definitions of the CAE categories?
A: Academic Divisions – Gifts restricted for use in a particular academic division, but upon which no further restriction has been placed. Note: Gifts for faculty and dept staff salaries should be reported under “Faculty and Staff Compensation”.
Athletics – Gifts restricted for the athletic department, including intramural and extramural activities. Note: Gifts to support the academic department of health, physical education and recreation should be reported under “Academic Divisions”. Gifts of athletic scholarships should be reported under “Student Financial Aid”.
Faculty and Staff Compensation – Gifts restricted for faculty and staff salaries and employment benefits, including gifts in support of sabbatical and other professional leaves for institutional employees. Note: Gifts made to support lecture series and consultants should be reported under “Other Restricted Purposes”. Funds made available for salaries as part of a larger grant in support of a research project may be credited under the “Research” category.
Library – Gifts restricted for the acquisition, restoration and preservation of books, periodicals, manuscripts, maps, audiovisual equipment and other materials and activities appropriate to a library. Note: Gifts for the operation and maintenance of the library should be reported under “Operation and Maintenance of Physical Plant”. Gifts for library staff salaries should be reported under “Faculty and Staff Compensation”.
Operation and Maintenance of Physical Plant – Gifts restricted for the ongoing operation of the physical plant, including buildings and grounds, facilities and equipment.
Property, Buildings and Equipment – Outright gifts of both real and personal property for the use of the institution. Gifts made for the purpose of purchasing buildings, other facilities, equipment or land for use of the institution. Gifts restricted for construction or major renovation of buildings or other facilities; and gifts made for retirement of indebtedness.
Public Service and Extension – Gifts restricted for support of activities established primarily to provide non-instructional services to people and groups within or outside the University, including community services programs, University-affiliated radio and television stations and cooperative extension services. Note: Gifts for instructional activities for academic credit should be reported as gifts for “Academic Divisions”.
Research – Gifts restricted for scientific, technical and humanistic investigation (excluding clinical trials), including private grants for individual and/or project research or for institutes and research centers. Note: This category does NOT include corporate grants for programs in which the grantor receives a product or service commensurate with the fee paid; nor does it include government grants or awards for sponsored programs, which should not be included in the CAE reports.
Student Financial Aid – Gifts restricted for financial aid to students whether full or part-time, undergrad or graduate, including both need-based and merit scholarships, graduate fellowships, athletic scholarships student awards and prizes and gifts made in support of student work-study arrangements.
Other – Gifts restricted for specific uses that cannot be classified in any of the other categories. Included in this category, among other possibilities, are all gifts to auxiliary enterprises, independent operations and nonacademic units.
Q: What is the difference between a project & a KFS account?
A: Funds held at the Foundation are housed in projects identified with a numerical sequence, XX-XX-XXXX. Funds held at the University of Arizona are housed in KFS (Kauli Financial System) accounts with a seven digit numerical sequence.
Q: What is the 3% CC (Credit Card) fee?
A: The bank fee for credit card processing that is passed along to the account-holder is currently 3% of the amount of the transaction. This fee applies to credit card transactions that are manually processed by the Foundation and online non-gift transactions relating to events. It does not apply to the gift portion of any credit card transaction that is processed by the cardholder via an online donation page.
Q: What is the 6% UDF (University Development Fee)?
A: For gifts of $1,000 or more, the Foundation will collect the 6% University Development Fee (UDF) upfront out of the principal amount of all non-endowed and endowed gifts in order to permit immediate use of the gift Alternative arrangements can also be made to contribute 6% of the amount of the gift upfront from other sources (e.g., an equivalent contribution could be made from other unrestricted departmental funds on hand). The fee is broken down into three parts: 4% is immediately distributed to fund development activities, 1% goes immediately to the President’s Development Fund and 1% is distributed the following month as unrestricted support for college development activities. For detail information about the UDF please visit the UA Gift Policy page.
Q: Where do I access existing endowment paperwork?
A: Please contact the home department of the endowment. Colleges/Departments should keep copies of all endowment paperwork.
Q: When should I call Sponsored Projects instead of UAF?
A: Refer to UA Gift Policy 8.12. Sections #10 and #12-#14 should clarify.
Q. Who signs agreements/contracts on behalf of the UA Foundation?
A: An officer of the UA Foundation must sign any agreement/contract to which the Foundation is a party. Please send all such documents to the Office of General Counsel, Swede Johnson Bldg. room 402N.
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Scholarships
Q: Is there a minimum scholarship donation amount?
A: No, you can add your donation of any amount to an existing scholarship fund. Each college and many departments and centers have already-established scholarships to support their students. However, to establish a named scholarship, the donor should commit to donating at least $5,000 annually for at least five years. Continuing named scholarships can be given in the name of an organization, foundation, corporation or individual. An endowed scholarship can be established with a minimum gift of $25,000.
Q: Are scholarships subject to the 6% University Development Fee?
A: Note that the UDF applies to gifts of $1,000 or more. Scholarship funds are exempt from the UDF if they are awarded within 12 months of the receipt date. All gifts to endowed scholarships that are in excess of $1,000 are subject to the UDF.
Q: Who do I contact for help with awarding our department scholarships from our University of Arizona accounts?
A: Please visit the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid Department help page for training details and FAQ’s.
Q: How do I award a scholarship from my Foundation project?
A: Scholarships must be awarded to students through their University Bursar’s account. As such, you should request funds be transferred using the Gift Disbursement for Scholarship to the University of Arizona form from your Foundation project to the University account from which funds are awarded.
Q: When should I transfer money from the Foundation to the University for awarding a scholarship?
A: Managing scholarship dollars should follow basic financial stewardship principles. Transfer monies from a Foundation project into the corresponding University account after determining the amounts to be awarded and after the scholarship dollars are awarded from the account.
Q: How do I know the donor intent for awarding a scholarship?
A: Each scholarship should have specifications or qualifications that were agreed to by the donor(s) when the scholarship was established. These specifications are located under the project purpose in https://www.UAFDN.org or within the scholarship documents maintained by the home department of the scholarship.
Q: What is the process for amending scholarship specifications?
A: The original donor(s) must agree to changes made to scholarship specifications. Discuss the desired changes with the donor. Send draft of amendment with a copy of the original specifications to bridget.vergara@uafoundation.org. If an amendment to an endowment agreement is needed, please also include a copy of the original endowment agreement.
Q: How do I set up a scholarship?
A: Please work with your college’s Development Officer who will work with the donor to establish the scholarship. A series of Gift Templates & Resources, including a step-by-step guide to creating a scholarship project, are also available on UAFDN website.
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Accounts Payable (Disbursements)
Q: How do I know what form to use?
A: If you are requesting a check be issued and the project is Endowment (40-12-XXXX), or Restricted (20-10-XXXX), use the Gift Disbursement Request Form. If requesting payment from an Unrestricted project (10-10-XXXX), use the Check Request – Unrestricted Fund Form. If you are transferring funds to the University from either an Unrestricted, Endowment or Restricted project use the Gift Disbursement to the University of Arizona Form. Forms can be found at:
- uafoundation.org
- uafdn.org
- Forms and Information
- Forms
- Rufus.uafoundation.or
- Resource Library
- Forms
- Disbursements
Q: What if my form says “DEFAULT” at the top (no form number generated)?
A: This is generally because of a pop-up blocker setting, and can be fixed by going to the internet tool bar and choosing: Tools – Options – Pop-Up Blocker and allowing UAF as a host site.
Q: What is the processing time for request forms?
A: 5-7 business days from when the form is received by UAF Financial Services.
Q: How do I find out who has signature authority on a project?
A: Log in to UAFDN.org. Go to Queries & Reports – Project Purpose & Signature Authority, enter the project number and view who has signature authority.
Q: How do I know if I have sufficient funds in a project to cover an expense?
A: Log in to UAFDN.org. Go to Queries & Reports – Project Activity, change query type to balance, enter the project number and view the available balance.
Q: When is a W-9 form required?
A: A W-9 is required when giving a cash award/prize/honorarium, paying an LLC, LLP or legal firm for services, or if reimbursing or paying for a gift card in any amount (recipient must complete and sign form). If a name or address change has occurred since the last form was provided a new form will be required.
Q: When is a Foundation Independent Contractor Agreement (ICON) required?
A: An ICON is required when paying an unincorporated business or an individual for services (recipient must complete and sign form). A new form is required for every calendar year services are performed or if a name or address change has occurred since the last form was provided.
Q: What bartenders are approved by the University of Arizona Foundation?
A: Please see the Approved Bartenders list.
Q: What caterers are approved by the University of Arizona Foundation?
A: The Foundation follows the University catering policy.
Q: If a caterer I want to use is not on the approved list, what do I need to do?
A: You can contact UA Procurement & Contracting Services to have them added to the list of approved vendors or request a onetime exemption.
Q: Where do I find information on documentation requirements for disbursements?
A: Go to https://www.uafoundation.org/UAFeforms/help/DisbDocReqs.html
Q: What is the procedure for giving a gift card?
A: Purchase of or reimbursement of gift cards; regardless of amount, are considered by the IRS as a taxable gift and therefore it is required for the recipient(s) to provide a W-9 form. This form must be provided by all recipients and submitted with the disbursement request. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf
Q: When is a Charitable Event Form required?
A: A Charitable Organization Payment Request is required when making payment to another non-profit organization. It is also required if any portion of a payment is considered a tax-deductible donation. A clear UA purpose for attendance must be provided as well as guest list, if applicable. Payments must be made directly from the UAF to the Charitable Organization. Reimbursement for payments made by individuals to a Charitable Organization, where the registration fee contains a tax deductible charitable gift amount, are not allowed.
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Accounts Receivable (Receipts)
Q: Where can I find the Gift Transmittal form?
A: From the uafdn.org home page, select “Forms and Information,” then “Forms.” Select the appropriate Gift Transmittal from the list. Please note there are separate Gift Transmittals for UA Foundation and University gifts.
Q: Are there instructions for the Gift Transmittal?
A: Yes. From the uafdn.org home page, select “Forms and Information,” then “Gift Templates and Resources.” Select “Gift Transmittal Instructions” from the list.
Q: What if I have a check that is payable to UA but needs to be deposited into a UA Foundation account?
A: Checks payable to UA or its administrative subdivisions must be segregated and submitted on a separate deposit form, accompanied by a Bursar Endorsement Request form. We will send the check to the bursar’s office to be endorsed over to the Foundation.
Q: What if I have a check that is payable to the UA Foundation but belongs in a University account?
A: Bring the check and supporting documentation indicating UA ownership to the UAF Financial Services Office located in the Swede Johnson Building, room 403 for review and, if applicable, endorsement over to the UA.
Q: What if I have cash to deposit?
A: Cash deposits should be hand delivered to the UAF Financial Services Office (Swede Johnson Bldg, room 403). Please notify the person at the reception desk in room 403, who will count the cash and provide a receipt.
Q: What types of credit cards are processed by the Foundation and what information is required?
A: The Foundation processes MasterCard, Visa and American Express (Discover is accepted for online transactions only). Information required for each transaction includes cardholder name, billing address, card number, expiration date, and transaction amount.
Q: I need to make a refund. What form and documentation are required?
A: If the original transaction was a check deposit, submit on a Gift Disbursement Request Form. If the original transaction was made by credit card, submit on a Non-Gift Deposit Transmittal Form and indicate REFUND in the purpose section. In both cases, attach a copy of the original payment.
Q: I have a reimbursement check to deposit. What form and documentation are required?
A: Complete a Non-Gift Deposit Transmittal Form and attach a copy of the original Gift Disbursement Request form.
Q: We are planning an event. Should I have the Foundation review a draft of our printed materials?
A: Yes. Please send a copy to denise.diehl@uafoundation.org prior to final printing and distribution.
Q: I have a scholarship gift that is to be awarded within 12 months. Is it exempt from the 6% University Development Fee?
A: Check the “scholarship exemption” box when completing the Gift Transmittal. It will be reviewed and, if applicable, exempted from the fee.
Q: How can I deposit a gift into the endowment expendable (instead of the principal)?
A: The expendable project is not accessible in the fund/project drop down on the transmittal log. You must select the endowment principal project, print the log, and make the change to expendable by hand. In addition, you must attach written donor intent for the expendable.
Q: How can I get information about setting up online registration for an event?
A: Contact our web support team.
Q: With regard to the 9.5% Administrative Service Fee, what is the difference between philanthropic and non-philanthropic events and how is the fee applied to each?
A: Philanthropic events include fundraisers that benefit campus units, programs, scholarships, etc. These events fall within the scope of services the Foundation provides under contract to the University. Accordingly, the 9.5% fee will not be assessed on non-gift revenue (registration, parking, raffle, etc.) from philanthropic events, provided that the admission fee includes a charitable portion of at least $10.
Non-philanthropic events include conferences, workshops, seminars and symposia. Social events (holiday parties, etc.) for students, faculty and staff are also non-philanthropic. Attendees have no charitable intent; therefore, the event cannot be made philanthropic by adding a “gift” to the registration fee. These events fall outside the scope of services the Foundation provides under contract to the University. Accordingly, the 9.5% fee will be assessed on non-gift revenue from non-philanthropic events.
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