The Society of the Sacred Heart solicits and accepts donations for the ongoing operations of the Province and specific projects, programs, and ministries as established by the Leadership Team in conjunction with Mission Advancement department (“Donor Restricted Gifts”). Additionally, the Provincial Leadership team may designate certain unrestricted donations for specific ministries, projects and programs (“Board Designated Funds”). It is always the intention of the Society to steward gifts from donors that further and advance the mission and goals of the Society whether it be for operations, retirement and eldercare, or to support a specific ministry.
To be clear, a donor may not restrict a gift to a purpose that is not aligned with the Society’s goals and missions. The Society agrees to restrict any donor gift that is $10,000 or more per the donor’s intention. Gifts under such threshold will be unrestricted gifts. Donors who have specific wishes for their gift under $10,000 shall be advised that his/her gift will be used in a matter most in line with their wishes and desires based upon the Society’s goals and missions.
Any gift that is over $10,000 may be restricted for a particular purpose that is in line with the Society’s goals and missions and shall be used for such purpose within two fiscal years from the date that the gift is recorded by the Mission Advancement department. Such funds will be held in a Temporarily Restricted Fund and reduced down as such funds are expensed for the particular purpose per the Finance and Mission Advancement procedures. If such gift or amount(s), is not released in that time frame, the gift shall be released per instruction by the Mission Advancement team to the Finance Department, after consultation with the RSCJ responsible or designated for such purpose, program or ministry, if an RSCJ is so designated. Finance shall report the release to the Provincial Leadership team. The funds then shall be deemed “as spent” for operational purposes. The Provincial Leadership team may also re-designated to a purpose nearest to the donor’s original intent. For particularly large restricted gifts ($25,000 and above) that are not bequests, the Society may enter into a gift agreement with the donor. A sample is attached as Exhibit A.
Establishing a Temporarily Restricted Fund
1. The minimum gift required to establish a temporarily restricted fund is $10,000.
2. Donors are encouraged to be as broad as possible when specifying criteria for the use of temporarily restricted, such as specifying “eldercare” or “Stuart Center.” The gift must align with programs and ministries supported by the Society.
3. The Mission Advancement Department will be responsible for keeping all correspondence regarding the gift or making note of such intention and restriction in the donor record. A Gift Agreement is encouraged for any gift over $25,000 to be saved and included in the donor record.
4. The Provincial Leadership team, Mission Advancement and Finance Departments will work together to ensure that restricted gifts are released as the funds are expended or as the time frame for using such funds occurs, whichever comes first. Mission Advancement department will formally release the funds by issuing a notice to the Finance Department.