Gifts of non-traditional nature are complicated and can carry with them additional risks and expenses to both the donor and the Foundation. Decisions regarding the acceptance of these types of gifts are made after careful review to assure maximum benefit is achieved for the Foundation.
Intellectual Property
The Foundation will consider gifts of intellectual property such as royalties, copyrights, patents, contract rights and similar intangible interests only upon recommendation of the MSF Endowment Advisory Committee. The MSF Endowment Advisory Committee will consider the appraised value of the intellectual property, the administrative costs involved in accepting such a gift, and whether the donor agrees to assign all of the rights with respect to the copyright or royalty. Criteria for acceptance shall include the following:
- the intellectual property is compatible with the mission of the Foundation,
- ownership of the intellectual property right can be clearly transferred or assigned to the Foundation,
- the intellectual property right is a full or fractional interest,
- the interest is worth more than USD 5,000, the minimum at which the MSF Endowment Advisory Committee will consider such a gift,
- any costs are associated with acceptance of the intellectual property right, and
- the donor has requested any restrictions on the retention or use of the property,
Mineral assets
As these interests are generally difficult to sell and unpredictable in income generation, the Foundation may accept oil, gas or other mineral property only upon the recommendation of the MSF Endowment Advisory Committee. Criteria for acceptance shall include the following:
- gifts of surface rights should have a value of USD 25,000 or greater,
- gifts of oil, gas and mineral interests should generate at least USD 3,000 per year in royalties or other income (as determined by the average of the three years prior to the gift),
- the property should not have extended liabilities or other considerations that make receipt of the gift inappropriate; the Foundation may consult an outside professional advisor for further review, and
- the donor should provide an environmental review to ensure that the Foundation has no current or potential exposure to environmental liability.
Timeshare units
Because of the limited value and market, and inherent expenses associated with timeshare units, the Foundation will not consider a gift of this nature unless it has an estimated market value of USD 100,000 or more. Donors who intend to gift a timeshare unit to the Foundation must make their gift proposal in writing. The proposal must include a description of the gift, proof of ownership, and a qualified appraisal performed within 60 days of the gift proposal date.