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Carter Center Major Gifts and Endowment  

Your charitable donations to The Carter Center — unique among world aid agencies — are making a difference in the lives of millions around the world through disease control and prevention and democracy building. But we have more yet to achieve.

Supporters of The Carter Center feel passionately that its work must continue well into the future. Guided by our mission statement, the Center must be able to address future needs and pursue new opportunities to accomplish the life-affirming and lifesaving goals of our programs. To ensure its long-term ability to wage peace, fight disease, and build hope, the Center engaged in a campaign to significantly increase its endowment fund.

The $150 million campaign goal was achieved, thanks to the generous support of individuals, corporations, foundations, and other friends at local, national, and international levels. As this corpus is invested, the income will help provide the security and flexibility required to maintain excellence in the Carter Center's initiatives.

While our campaign goal was met, the Center has an ongoing need to build permanent financial resources. Donors interested in investing in the work of the Center are invited to explore giving options with us. Commitments to endowment are accepted as outright gifts in the form of cash or securities, as pledges payable over a five-year period, and as planned gifts, which include will commitments, trusts, annuities, and other deferred and life-income instruments.

FAQ's
 
What is a major gift?
Gifts or pledges of $25,000 or more to The Carter Center qualify as major gifts.  They are usually designated to a specific program of interest to the donor and may involve a multi-year commitment.  Sometimes, the gifts are unrestricted by the donor, who may desire to leave the designation open to wherever the greatest Carter Center need exists.
 
For example, Joe Smith may decide he wants to make a gift of $250,000 to The Carter Center and wants to do it over a five-year period.  Each year, the donor would make a gift of $50,000 (or however much the donor decides to allocate per year) towards their $250,000 pledge.  They may designate this to a specific program, endowment, or leave it unrestricted.
 
How is a major gift different than an endowment gift?
Endowment gifts are invested to use in the future.  Usually, only the income generated by the gift is utilized, leaving the corpus intact, whereas a major gift is used immediately to support current ongoing programs.  Endowment gifts can also be pledges, designated or undesignated. 

Why are major gifts important to long term success in the program?
Major Gifts are of great importance to the longevity and sustainability of the Carter Center's work around the world. Major donors contribute significant gifts that allow the Center to undertake new initiatives and expand existing programs – assured that we have adequate funding resources to provide for the life of the projects.
 
How can a major gift contribution be made?
As outright gifts of cash or securities, as pledges payable over a period of time (most commonly 3-5 years), and as planned gifts.
 
Who can I contact to discuss major gift designation options?
The Carter Center Major Gifts staff can be reached at:

Seema Shams, Chief Development Officer, Major Gifts:
    snshams@emory.edu and/or 404-420-5100 ext. 134 or 925-648-3311

J. Christi Boyes, Senior Associate Director, Major Gifts:
    christi.boyes@emory.edu and/or 404-420-3865
 

Where can I send my major gift?
You can send your gift to:
The Carter Center
One Copenhill
453 Freedom Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30307
Attn: Major Gifts