Donors & Supporters

Guidelines for Events Benefitting Christiana Care

The Christiana Care Office of Development is dedicated to supporting the work of Christiana Care Health System, a charitable, tax-exempt organization. Our policies and procedures are designed to guide you in planning fundraising events and activities to benefit Christiana Care. We follow all IRS regulations for charitable giving and acknowledgments while tracking any changes that may affect our fund-raising events.

Any individual or organization who wishes to conduct an event or promotion involving the use of the name Christiana Care for fundraising or publicity purposes must receive written approval from the Office of Development in advance. Please allow four weeks for the review process to take place.

Events should complement the mission, image and core values of Christiana Care. Companies that conflict with Christiana Care's mission or core values may not be sponsors. We discourage sponsorship via alcohol, tobacco and firearms companies or other companies with products that do not support the health and well-being of those we serve.
The event organizer must obtain any necessary permits, licenses or insurance. If the organizer has obtained Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, they must clearly state this in all promotional materials.
The Council of Better Business Bureaus has stated that "reasonable use of funds requires that at least 50 percent of total income from all sources be spent on programs and activities directly related to the organization's purposes." The Office of Development will not approve an event in which fundraising costs exceed 50 percent of total income. Christiana Care strives to maintain fundraising costs at 5 percent of the total income and strongly urges event organizers to meet this standard.
The Christiana Care Office of Development must approve all event dates. We retain the right to refuse an organization permission to hold an event to benefit Christiana Care when a conflict of interest may develop.
The Christiana Care Office of Development must approve, in advance, all copy for invitations, advertisements, press releases, posters or other promotional information related to your project. Do not make public announcements or promote the event until you receive written approval from the Office of Development.
You may identify Christiana Care only as the beneficiary of the event. For example, event organizers should not call an event "Christiana Care Walk-a-Thon." Instead, your event should be promoted as the "Walk-a-thon to benefit Christiana Care Health System."
We should be prepared to inform the public that any net amounts will be donated directly to Christiana Care within 60 days after the event. If Christiana Care will not receive all of the proceeds from the event, then the exact percentage of the proceeds that benefits Christiana Care must be stated clearly on all invitation copy, advertising and promotional materials.
Events must comply with all federal, state and local laws governing charitable fundraising, gift reporting and special events. The IRS requires that all tickets, invitations or entry forms state which portion of the contribution is tax-deductible. If a donor receives a product or service in exchange for their donation, subtract the value (whether or not it is donated) of the product or service from the contribution. The remaining amount is tax-deductible.
If your donors send their contributions directly to Christiana Care, you must inform the Office of Development of the value of any goods or services donors receive in return for their contributions.
If the organizer does not have tax-exempt status and individual donors send their contributions directly to the organizer, the organizer must submit to Christiana Care an itemized listing of all donors, their addresses and the amount of their individual donation within 60 days so that a proper acknowledgment letter documenting the tax-deductibility of their contribution can be issued from Christiana Care, the not-for-profit beneficiary, to the individual donor.
Please notify the Office of Development if you plan to contact businesses, individuals or organizations for sponsorship or underwriting proposals. If you plan to solicit contributions, sponsorship or in-kind gifts from local businesses, the list of potential business sponsors must be reviewed by the Christiana Care Office of Development before being solicited. Please remember that many individuals and businesses already support Christiana Care and may not wish to make additional donations.
Christiana Care will not compensate event planners employed or retained by the sponsoring organization. It is the responsibility of the sponsoring organization to provide such compensation. Christiana Care does not endorse the hiring or selection of any special-event planners, consultants or coordinators.
The sponsoring organization or individual must seek approval from the Christiana Care Office of Development to repeat an event in each succeeding year.
The Christiana Care Office of Development must be notified if there are any significant changes planned for the event. If circumstances warrant, the Office of Development or Christiana Care may at any time, through members of its senior management team, direct you to cancel the event. You must agree to cancel the event, if so directed, and further agree to release Christiana Care and its officers and employees from any and all liability and connection to any such action.

What we can do to help you

If the Office of Development approves your event to benefit Christiana Care, we can provide the following assistance upon request:

Offer advice and expertise on event planning.
Provide a letter of authorization to validate the authenticity of the event and its organizers.
Provide and approve the use of Christiana Care's logo.
Assist you in designating your contribution to a specific area of interest that has special meaning for you.
Produce acknowledgment letters to individual donors.

What we cannot do to help you

If the Office of Development approves your event, we will not:

Provide on-site staff or volunteer support at your event.
Provide insurance coverage.
Provide funding or reimbursement for expenses.
Solicit sponsorship revenue for your fundraising activities.
Provide celebrities or professional athletes for your event.
Provide publicity (newspaper, radio, TV coverage, etc.) except as mutually agreed upon when your event is approved.
Provide mailing lists of donors, physicians, employees, volunteers or vendors.
Provide Christiana Care letterhead; place event fliers, posters or distribute other promotional material throughout Christiana Care, except as mutually agreed upon when your event is approved; or guarantee attendance of staff, physicians or patients at the event or check presentations.

Please also understand the volume of requests often exceeds available staff who are able to attend or assist with events. Please call the Christiana Care Office of Development as early as possible to discuss your plans.

Office of Development
P.O. Box 1668, Wilmington, DE 19899
302-327-3305