All individuals, businesses, and organizations that want to host an event to raise money for UCSF or UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals must first complete a fundraising event application. This form applies to recurring fundraising events as well as first-time events. After your application is approved in writing, we ask that you provide a list of your targeted sponsors and participants before you make your approach. Providing a list streamlines fundraising efforts, and we can inform you if other fundraisers are working with your sponsors.
UCSF and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals must adhere to IRS regulations to maintain our 501(c)3 tax-exempt statuses. We review community fundraisers to ensure that they are in compliance with these rules, because failure to comply could put our tax-exempt status at risk. We must also ensure that the strength and integrity of our brand is upheld through the promotion and execution of all fundraisers.
Please notify UCSF or UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals if your fundraising event changes significantly or is canceled. We reserve the right to deny or withdraw approval if circumstances warrant.
UCSF
You can donate online or send your gift to:
UCSF Foundation
P.O. Box 45339
San Francisco, CA 94145
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals
You can donate online or send your gift to:
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals Foundation
P.O. Box 45339
San Francisco, CA 94145
Include any special instructions with your check or in the space provided on the online giving form.
We can provide advice on strategy and marketing, but we cannot play a role in planning, implementation, financing, or staffing. UCSF and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals and our departments and programs can be the beneficiaries of fundraising events but not the organizers or sponsors.
Please note that you cannot use UCSF or UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital’s tax-exempt status for planning or implementing your fundraiser, nor are you permitted to promote tax-exempt privileges as part of your fundraiser, unless you have your own tax-exempt status. If you would like to submit a request for UCSF to host or sponsor an event, contact Together at UCSF for information and to formally apply for partner affiliation.
Due to staffing constraints, we cannot guarantee that staff or patients will be able to attend your event.
Yes, but remember that it is important to highlight that we are the beneficiary, not the sponsor, of your fundraiser and activities. Promotional materials and sponsor letters that use the UCSF or UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals name or logo must use the terms “proceeds to benefit UCSF/UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals” or “benefitting UCSF/UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.”
Also, all event and promotional materials must clearly state the percentage of proceeds or the portion of the ticket price that will benefit UCSF or UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. We provide the logo and logo standards to the sponsor, and the sponsor must approve in writing all uses of the logo before it is printed or otherwise used in any marketing materials, including flyers, press releases, and website content.
All use of the UCSF or UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals logo must comply with brand standards, and the logo must not be altered in typeface, color, or position. We cannot endorse products or services, nor can we participate in such activities. UCSF or UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals also cannot be involved with a fundraiser that promotes a political party, candidate, or issue.
No. Patient-privacy laws prohibit us from sharing mailing lists or soliciting donations from patients for community fundraisers.
Yes, as long as you clearly state in your promotional materials how the proceeds will be distributed. Be sure you send UCSF or UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals a check for only the amount you intend it to receive. We cannot return proceeds meant for another organization and cannot forward proceeds to another organization on your behalf. We reserve the right to approve any and all co-beneficiaries.
Yes, as long as you have a liquor license. You are encouraged to ensure that food and nonalcoholic beverages are available, ID checks are enforced so that underage attendees are not served alcohol, and travel information is on hand for attendees who need rides home. UCSF and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals and our affiliates do not accept or assume any liability associated with alcohol being consumed before, during, or after the fundraiser.
Depending on the type of fundraiser you are hosting, you might need general liability insurance coverage. Usually the venue has a policy, and we might ask you to provide a copy for our records.
UCSF and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals do not provide insurance coverage for community fundraisers. The sponsor and the fundraiser’s donors, sponsors, guests, and so on agree to indemnify, defend, and hold UCSF and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals harmless against and in respect of any and all claims, demands, losses, costs, expenses, obligations, liabilities damages, recoveries, and deficiencies, including interest, penalties, and reasonable attorney’s fees that shall be incurred or suffered by UCSF and its affiliates, which arise, result from or relate to applicant’s fundraising event or fundraising program.
We do not endorse the hiring or selection of special event planners, consultants, or coordinators. The sponsor hereby agrees to adhere to all federal, local, and state laws and assures that compensation to a professional fundraiser or promoter is not based on commission or a percentage of monies raised.
Yes, however:
- If you plan to hold an auction, let us know to ensure that you have the documentation required to provide receipts to donors.
- If you plan to hold a raffle, you must be eligible to apply for raffle registration with state or local government agencies.
- Licensing for auctions and raffles can be time consuming, so be sure to allow enough time.
UCSF and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals do not provide our tax ID numbers for use with raffle registration
No. You are only eligible for a tax deduction if you have made a personal contribution directly to UCSF or UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.
To ensure that your donors are receipted, please request that all checks are made payable to UCSF or UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals Foundation. We are unable to provide receipts for donations written in the name of the sponsoring individual or organization. A person, company, or venue that makes an in-kind donation of goods or services to your fundraiser is not eligible to receive a tax deduction or receipt for the donation.
