Donate to the Foundation

Your generosity has the power to change lives.

By contributing to the Chesapeake College Foundation, you are directly supporting students, enhancing programs, and enriching the community. Whether through a one-time donation, a planned gift, or a pledge over time, your support helps us create lasting impact.

Ways to Give

We offer multiple ways to make giving easy, impactful, and tailored to your preferences:

Donations can be directed toward specific programs or used where most needed. We accept American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. Mail checks to Chesapeake College Foundation, P.O. Box 8, Wye Mills, MD 21679.

Double the impact of your contribution through your employer’s matching gift program. Contact your HR department to see if your company participates.

Donating stocks, bonds, or mutual funds may offer significant tax advantages. Speak with your broker to explore this option and contact our Foundation team for assistance.

Make a larger gift by pledging over a set time. We’ll send reminders and acknowledgments when pledge payments are received. Pledges become tax-deductible once received as gifts.

Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for the common good. It is a tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to the quality of life. To assure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the not-for-profit organizations and causes they are asked to support, we declare that all donors have these rights:

  1. To be informed of the organization’s mission, of the way the organization intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.
  2. To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization’s governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.
  3. To have access to the organization’s most recent financial statements.
  4. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
  5. To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.
  6. To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
  7. To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.
  8. To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors.
  9. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.
  10. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.

The text of this statement in its entirety was developed by the American Association of Fund-Raising Counsel (AAFRC), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and adopted in November 1993. © 1964, Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), all rights reserved.  Reprinted with permission from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

All gifts should be directed to the Chesapeake College Foundation, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization, donations to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

“If we as advocates can help provide an opportunity for someone to improve themselves, to upgrade themselves, it’s just the right thing to do.”

Mr. John DeLuca

John DeLuca

T.R.E.E.S. Scholarship Founder & Donor

Planned Giving

Planned gifts offer flexibility, tax benefits, and the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy at Chesapeake College. From bequests and annuities to gifts of retirement savings, planned giving ensures your impact will be felt for generations to come. Our team is ready to assist you in finding the best option that aligns with your financial and philanthropic goals.

Consider leaving a legacy by including the Chesapeake College Foundation in your will. A simple bequest can designate a specific amount or percentage of your estate to support our mission.

Receive lifetime income and tax benefits while supporting Chesapeake College. Contact us for more details on setting up a Charitable Gift Annuity.

Name the Foundation as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy or retirement account. These gifts provide substantial future support while offering tax benefits.

If you’re 70½ or older, you can make a tax-advantaged distribution directly from your IRA to the Foundation. Contact us to learn more.

Gifts of property, equipment, or personal items can support our programs. Our team will ensure your donation is utilized in the best way possible.

All gifts should be directed to the Chesapeake College Foundation, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization, donations to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Endowments

Endowments offer a powerful way to ensure long-term support for Chesapeake College. By creating an endowed fund with a minimum gift of $20,000, you provide sustainable, perpetual funding for scholarships, programs, or areas of greatest need. The Foundation staff will work with you to tailor the fund to reflect your interests and values. Below are frequently asked questions about endowments.

An endowment is a fund established to permanently support a specific need at the college. The donor or donors who establish the endowment can name the fund and designate its use to support the values they hold most dear.

Unlike gifts received for immediate use, endowed gifts keep giving over time. They are placed in accounts from which a portion of the annual investment earnings are used for the purpose(s) specified by the donor. Remaining earnings are reinvested, thereby growing the fund year to year.

By establishing an endowed fund through the Chesapeake College Foundation, your money will provide a perpetual and sustainable source of revenue for the programs or students you designate. The department, program or scholarship fund you support through an endowment will be able to count on your fund’s annual support when planning for the future.

Creating an endowed fund also provides you with the opportunity to honor a loved one or a respected colleague or mentor. The impact of your fund’s annual support can be a permanent reminder to others of a person whose life and example you treasure.

An endowment is established when an account contains a minimum of $20,000 and you have completed the paperwork that details the criteria of your fund. You can create an endowment by making a lump-sum gift of $20,000 or more, or by contributions over a period of up to three years until the minimum endowment amount is reached. Once you decide to create an endowment, the Chesapeake College Foundation staff will work with you to develop award criteria that reflect your interests while effectively meeting the greatest needs of the College.

Once a fund is endowed, the established criteria determine how the Foundation distributes the endowment’s annual distribution. Newly-established endowments will be invested for a year before the first award is made to ensure enough time for growth of the fund. The amount of distribution is dependent upon the market value of the fund. The Foundation currently determines that award by taking 5% of a rolling twenty-quarter average of the market value of the fund. That rate may be changed as investment returns warrant. Over time, as the endowed fund’s principal grows, the annual distribution increases as well.

There is no maximum level for an endowed fund, and you may add to the fund at any time. Often relatives, friends and associates who share your interests also add to these funds.

Should your interests change, you can work with the Chesapeake College Foundation staff to change the purpose of your endowment to better reflect your priorities.

According to IRS regulations, donors of charitable gifts may only designate a purpose or department to benefit from their gift, not specific individuals.

Once scholarship awards have been finalized and students are past the drop-add period (usually six weeks into the semester), we will send you information about the recipient(s) of your scholarship fund. Also, the Foundation holds an Annual Scholarship Recognition Luncheon, to which donors and scholarship recipients are invited. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet those who have benefited from your generosity. We usually hold it around Thanksgiving, which is a perfect time to express our gratitude to you.