• Section 1 - Audience
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Interpretation
• Section 4 - Principles
• Section 5 - Donation Acceptance
• Section 6 - Donation Management

Section 1 - Audience

(1) Staff, University of Newcastle Council members, donors and potential donors to the University of Newcastle (University).

Section 2 - Purpose

(2) The purpose of this policy is to provide conditions for the acceptance and management of donations to the University.

(3) This policy excludes:

1. personal gifts to individual employees (refer Conflict of Interest Policy).
2. instances of individuals volunteering time or expertise (refer Volunteer (Including Volunteer Researcher) Policy).
3. donations of bodies for medical research and training (refer Body Donor Program).

Section 3 - Interpretation

(4) ‘Administrative fees’ include any overheads to process or manage donations. They do not include the actual activity intended to be funded by the donation.

Section 4 - Principles

(5) The University will comply with all relevant laws in relation to the acceptance and management of donations.

(6) Before accepting a donation, the University may assess any financial, legal or reputational risk associated with the donation.

(7) The University may accept donations where the donation is aligned with the University's strategic direction and its academic and/or educational priorities.

(8) Decisions in relation to the acceptance and management of donations must adhere to the University Ethical Framework.

(9) Donations may have specific purposes and the University will endeavour to honour donor intent for all accepted donations where possible and reasonable, and as permitted by law.

(10) The University reserves the right to decline a donation.

Section 5 - Donation Acceptance

(11) The University will apply the Principles and exercise reasonable due diligence in the acceptance of donations.

(12) The University will assign responsibility for accepting a donation to a person with appropriate authority.

(13) The University may insist on minimum values for donations intended to support specific activities.

Section 6 - Donation Management

(14) The University will ensure that all donations accepted by the University are:

1. recorded in line with University privacy policies;
2. overseen by an appropriate authority; and
3. managed in accordance with the University's financial management and investment policies.

(15) The University will take all reasonable steps to ensure that donor information is handled confidentially, to the extent provided by law and consistent with the donor's wishes.

(16) No administrative fees are applied by the University to donations, except where required by law or specified by the terms of the donation.

(17) The University may, at its discretion, allow naming recognition of donations.

(18) Should the prior acceptance of a contribution from a donor subsequently pose undue financial, legal or reputational risk to the University, or a donation is deemed no longer aligned to the Principles, ineffective, or unable to be applied according to its purpose, the University will consult with the donor (or his/her representative) where possible, and to the extent provided by law, to ensure the donation can be applied or redirected to align to broad intent.

(19) The University may, to the extent permitted by law, return a donation (or part thereof) or take any other action it considers appropriate in the circumstances referred to in clause 18.