Panola College
Office of Institutional Advancement

How Can I Make a Difference?

There are many ways to support Panola College. Gifts may be unrestricted in use, or you may specify that your gift be targeted to a particular building, program or purpose. You may designate further that the gift be placed in an endowment. If a gift is not designated for endowment, it is considered a "current expenditure" gift. Some donors make current gifts, and others choose to satisfy their commitment over a period of time.

You may wish to retain an interest in your gift, such as the right to receive income from it, or to give through your estate. Under certain circumstances, your gift may entitle you to tax benefits. Gifts to support Panola College should be made payable to the Panola College Foundation, a non-profit, 501(c) (3) public benefit corporation that accepts and administers private support for the College.

All gifts and grants received by the Foundation shall be held in trust or expended in accordance with the wishes of the grantor, provided that there is no conflict with the purpose for which the foundation was formed.

Below is a list of the many ways you can support the teaching and community-service activities at Panola College. However you choose to give, you can be assured that your philanthropy will help to secure the future of this great institution.

Because the Panola College Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, most gifts qualify for a federal, and often state, income-tax charitable deduction. As with all financial considerations, we encourage you to discuss potential tax advantages and other aspects of charitable giving with your attorney, tax advisor or financial consultant. The Board of Directors of the Foundation shall have the right and power to refuse to accept any gift offered to the Foundation the purpose of which is not, in the judgment of the Board, in harmony with the policies of the Board. 

Outright Gifts
Outright gifts – gifts of cash, securities or other property – provide the College with much-needed financial assistance. Outright gifts will have an immediate impact on Panola’s schools and programs because they can be used to support a variety of current needs.

Gift Pledges
A pledge is a formal statement of intention to make a gift to Panola. It may be followed by an immediate gift, or it may simply confirm your intention to make a gift in the future. Many donors choose to complete their gift pledge by making regular payments over a period of time. This method often allows donors to give more generously than they may have originally considered. Whenever possible, the Panola College Foundation encourages full payment of pledges within five years of the original commitment.

Gifts with Retained Interest
Your gift to the Panola College Foundation can allow you to hold an interest in your gift for life or for a specified term of years. After that time, the funds become available to the College. For example, you can set up a charitable trust, which allows you to receive income from that trust for a specified period, or for life. When you make your gift, you have the satisfaction of knowing that the plans you make today will help students for years to come.

Unrestricted Gifts
When you do not restrict the use of your gift, the College gains flexibility not otherwise available. Unrestricted gifts can be used at the discretion of the President to meet changing or urgent needs such as library acquisitions or state-of-the-art technology and equipment acquisitions.

Gifts of Endowment
An endowment demonstrates farsighted commitment to the College. An endowment is a fund that is maintained in perpetuity, and only a portion of the annual investment return is used for the purposes specified by the donor. The balance of the investment yield is added to principal so that over the years, the fund will continue to grow. Such endowments, which typically bear the name of the donor or donors, serve as an enduring testament to your generosity.

Appreciated Securities
A gift of long-term appreciated marketable securities helps you save taxes twice. Appreciated securities can be given to 1) avoid the capital gains tax, and 2) receive an income tax deduction over a period of years. The donor may enjoy tax savings and can even increase his or her income from the donated stock.

Matching Gifts
Many corporations have demonstrated their support for Panola by matching, or multiplying, their employees’ gifts to the College, up to a set amount. Before you make a gift, you may want to ask whether your employer participates in such a program. Certain restrictions apply to matching gifts; please consult your company’s personnel office for further information.

Gifts of Real Estate
When you give a gift of real estate to Panola College, you may claim an income-tax charitable deduction based on the full market value of the gift, avoid capital gains taxes, and eliminate certain costs associated with the transfer of real property. Gifts of real estate can also provide income to you.

Gifts in Kind
You may wish to give Panola a personal possession of special interest. The College receives a wide variety of such gifts, including rare books and manuscripts, works of art, equipment and other items.

Making a Planned Gift

Planned gifts are gift arrangements that have specific tax advantages and often include lifetime income to a beneficiary or beneficiaries named by the donor. Many Panola donors have utilized planned giving methods and are enjoying the benefits today: capital gains tax savings, increased income and income tax savings, to name a few. A planned gift maximizes your giving potential and can even allow you to ensure your future financial security or that of a loved one.

The Rewards of Giving

However you choose to support Panola, you will be embarking on a partnership with one of the state’s finest academic institutions. Your gift can help a student to realize his or her dream of an education, support the work of a distinguished faculty member, or get a vital new community-service program under way.

There are almost as many ways of giving as there are programs, projects and priorities at the College that need your support. For more information, e-mail the Office of Institutional Advancement or call 903-693-2029.

This page created and maintained by Van Patterson.
11/28/04