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Financial Services

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Hours:
Contact by phone, email, Teams or private appt.
Location: Dempsey 236
Phone: (920) 424-3990
Fax: (920) 424-2240

Prizes, Awards, and Gifts


 

For procedural guidance and prior authorization please submit forms to Financial Services prior to announcing or presenting prizes, awards, and gifts. Completed form can be submitted to Financialservices@uwosh.edu. Once approved please include the approved form with the request for payment or attach to receipts of payment. Definition of prizes, awards, and gifts are listed below. We recommend that you read the entire UW-System policy for Prize, Awards, and Gifts.

Prizes

Something of value conveyed as a result of chance, generally for promotional purposes, to one or more participants in a University-sponsored event. Prizes may only be awarded in situation where benefits are expected to accrue to the University. No general purpose revenue (GPR) may be used for prizes.

 

  • Example include door prizes to persons attending athletic events and prizes awarded as incentives to encourage response to customer questionnaire and other types of survey.
  • The anticipated benefits of awarding prize must be documented, and the decision to award prize must be approved in writing by the controller.
  • Approval should be received before the prize is given and/or prize is publicized.
  • Prize can not exceed $200
  • Approval and Documentation for Prizes, Awards, and Gifts
Gift Cards/ Small Cash Payments

Financial Services has been receiving requests for the reimbursement of gift cards and small cash payments for various events including surveys, incentives, and prizes,etc.

Gift cards are considered the same as cash and cash payments are a reportable item to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). A gift card or small cash payment is only allowed in certain circumstances using specific types of funding and is not to be given away as a gift or award. General Purpose Revenue (GPR) funds from 102,104, and 402 cannot be used under any circumstances.

The IRS requires that we collect the name, permanent home address, and social security number of the individual receiving the gift card/cash. In addition, we highly recommend that the individual sign a form indicating the dollar amount received.

NOTE: Any gift card/cash in any denomination is reportable to the IRS. It does not matter if participant fees were paid or not. (e.g., if you give survey participant $5 each for filling out a survey, it is reportable and all of the individual information listed above is required to document the payments and meet  IRS reporting requirements.)

Awards

Recognition or something of value conveyed as a result of competition, merit or in recognition of service to the institution on the part of the recipient.

  • No cash awards are permitted (Gift cards are considered the same as cash)
  • GPR may be used only for awards such as certificates and plaques that have no intrinsic value of for the items of minimal value that bears the University’s logo.
  • Awards to employees should not exceed $100 in cost; special cases must be approved by the Chancellor.

Gift

A voluntary conveyance of something of value as a gesture of goodwill or appreciation.

  • No cash gifts are permitted (Gift cards are considered the same as cash)
  • No GPR may be used for gifts
  • Normally, all gifts should be items of minimal value that bears the University’s logo.
  • Gifts can not be given to employees
  • Approval and Documentation for Prizes, Awards, and Gifts