What Gifts Count?

Grant seekers often ask, What funds count before and after a Kresge grant is awarded?

Here is a list of gifts that we count as initial funds:

• Written pledges or cash from individuals, corporations, businesses and foundations, including those resulting from direct appeals and unsolicited gifts (All pledges must be paid within five years from your fundraising end date.)
• Organizational funds
• Long-term financing
• In-kind materials and services, including donated property (You may count gifts of land not involved in the project only when the land is sold or under purchase agreement.)
• Cash surrender value of life insurance policies that your organization owns and is the beneficiary
• Present value of formal deferred gifts (For a charitable lead trust, you may count the income from your campaign start date to five years from your fundraising end date.)
• Matured bequests that are paid or in probate
• Government grants

After a Kresge grant is awarded, only gifts raised as a result of direct appeals in support of the campaign may count toward your challenge goal, including:

• Written pledges or cash from individuals, corporations, businesses and foundations (All pledges must be paid within five years from your fundraising end date.)
• In-kind materials and services, including donated property (You may count gifts of land not involved in the project only when the land is sold or under purchase agreement.)
• Cash surrender value of life insurance policies that your organization owns and is the beneficiary
• Present value of formal deferred gifts (For a charitable lead trust, you may count the income from your campaign start date to five years from your fundraising end date.)
• Government grants that are part of your campaign plan and do not represent a substantial portion of the challenge goal. (A request with several pending government grants is not likely to receive a Kresge grant. If possible, we advise you to backstop the expected government funding.)