Frequently asked questions
All gifts, big and small, help Athabasca University. What is important is your support, not the size of your gift. When you give, you join proud alumni and friends of the university who share your commitment and enthusiasm for AU.
Your gift will have the greatest impact when you dedicate it to one of the areas of greatest need as determined by Athabasca University. That said, if you have a particular area of interest, we would be happy to work with you to direct your gift accordingly.
Athabasca University is a registered non-profit organization; therefore, gifts to the university may be tax deductible. When you give, we will mail you a charitable donation tax receipt that you can use for income tax purposes. Our charitable registration number is 10673 5830 RR0001. There are some instances, such as sponsorships, where gifts do not qualify for a tax deduction. We will advise you of this when we discuss your gift.
Securities and mutual fund and trust units traded on the major Canadian and U.S. stock exchanges may be donated by transferring ownership directly to the university. You do not need to sell the securities before donating them, offering significant tax advantages. You can instruct your broker to transfer securities electronically to the university's broker. A tax receipt will be issued for the closing value of the securities on the day they become the property of AU. They will be sold by AU, and you may direct the proceeds of the sale to a particular project. To discuss a donation of shares, please contact us.
We strive to ensure that donor records are accurate. If the information on your receipt is incorrect, please contact us at development@athabascau.ca or 587-581-2899. We will be pleased issue you a corrected receipt.
We issue one receipt per calendar year. This reduces administrative costs and eliminates the need for you to keep track of monthly receipts. A receipt for your total yearly gift will be sent to you in January of the following year and each January thereafter.
When making a pledge, our office records your payment schedule according to your wishes. We send payment reminders before your scheduled payment is due. If we do not hear from you within 60 days, we will send a follow-up reminder.
Some companies offer a matching gift program to their employees, retirees or directors. If you work for a company that has a matching gift program, please ask your human resources office for more information.
We would be pleased to accommodate your request. Please contact us at development@athabascau.ca or 587-581-2899.
Anonymous donors must provide personal information for tax purposes but will not be acknowledged publicly.
Yes. If you have a particular area of interest and would like to discuss it supporting it, please contact us at development@athabascau.ca.
While AU accepts a wide array of cash and in-kind gifts, the Board of Governors reserves the right to accept or decline any gift. The Board's primary concerns are to ensure that all gifts are appropriate to the University, that they are receipted according to Canada Revenue Agency regulations and that the University can adequately and appropriately serve the donor's intent. If you have a question about the nature or designation of your gift, please contact us at development@athabascau.ca.
Please notify us when:
- you change your address, email address, phone number, or employment
- you change your bank account (if you are giving by pre-authorized cheque)
- your credit card expires or changes (and you are giving through credit card payments)
Please make cheques payable to Athabasca University. You can include a note in the memo line of the cheque or in an accompanying letter to direct your donation to Student Awards, or General.
If you have a particular project you would like to support, please contact us at development@athabascau.ca.
AU's Charitable Registration Number: #10673 5830 RR0001
Updated September 08, 2021 by Digital & Web Operations, University Relations (web_services@athabascau.ca)