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L&S Gift Management: How to transfer UW Foundation funds to a 233 Project
Update May 2025: We have an alternate disbursement method available for departments who need to process a high volume of disbursements; see the 'Processing disbursements to multiple campus projects' section below.
Background
Funding needs to be transferred from UW Foundation to 233 projects in order to be spent. Moving money from the Foundation to a 233 project is a one way trip: money cannot be returned to the UW Foundation once it has been transferred to a 233 project.
When determining UW Foundation fund balances, it is important to look at both the fund balances at UW Foundation and the balance in the corresponding 233 project(s). The 233 project balance will include encumbrances and commitments.
Overdrafts should be cleared quarterly. Related KB: L&S Gift Management: How to clear overdrafts on fund 233 gift accounts
Disbursement Request Options
There are two ways to submit disbursement requests:
- Standard process: Use this method if you're submitting a request for a single UW 233 project. Instructions are provided below for creating the disbursement form on the UW Foundation website
- Multiple disbursement process: If you need to submit several requests at once, you may use the multiple disbursement option instead.
For either method, email your completed documents to budgetoffice-gifts@ls.wisc.edu .
Processing disbursements to multiple campus projects
Departments needing to transfer funds to multiple 233 projects can use the following instructions and documents to process disbursements efficiently.
- Multiple Disbursement form example (pdf). The Disbursement Request serves as both the approval document and the source for the request number. This document is created on the UW Foundation's website. It requires some edits compared to the standard disbursement process. Instructions are located in the upper right hand corner of each page of the pdf:
- Page 1 outlines what to enter when creating the disbursement form in UWF.
- Page 2 explains how to edit the PDF after its been created.
- Multiple Disbursement Request spreadsheet. Use this spreadsheet to list the project details and amounts for each transfer. Instructions are included at the top of the sheet.
Email both the completed pdf disbursement form and the disbursement request spreadsheet to budgetoffice-gifts@ls.wisc.edu.
Standard Process: Transfer UW Foundation funds to 233 Project
Process for L&S Departments/Programs
1) Complete a Disbursement Request.- Link to UW Foundation
- Additional instructions are below.
- Link to Gift Deposit Routing Forms
- Additional instructions are below.
- Preferred order: Disbursement Request followed by Gift Deposit Routing form
- Naming convention: 233 project id.Disbursement Request number.Department name
- Example: 233XXXX.99999.Jurassic Studies
- For new 233 projects, use 'New 233' in the file name.
- Supporting documentation should also be attached to the end of the .pdf document.
5) L&S Budget Office staff will review and sign the Disbursement Request and Gift Routing form, and submit to UW Foundation for processing.
6) The department/program will receive an email with the subject, 'NOTICE OF ACTION TO BE PRESENTED TO THE REGENTS' when the funds have been deposited into the project (typically 2-3 weeks). The department/program should verify that the transfer processed as expected.
Other Scenarios
If a request involves multiple departments:- The Disbursement Request is completed by the department with the UW Foundation fund.
- The Gift Deposit Routing Form is completed by the department that manages the 233 project.
- The two files should still be combined into one document and emailed to budgetoffice-gifts@ls.wisc.edu.
Disbursement Request
The 'Disbursement Request' form is a document used by UW Foundation to initiate the electronic transfer from UW Foundation funds to UW-Madison. It tells them which fund to use and the amount of the transfer. Note: Disbursement Requests were previously known as Check Requests, and some campus materials use the term 'Check Request'.
Links
- Initiate the Disbursement Request form on UW Foundation's website: https://secure.uwadvancement.org/
- Navigate to "Fund Management" > "Disbursement Request"
- Link to the UW Foundation's Instructions: UW Foundation's Instructions
- Request access to the UW Foundation: L&S Gift Management: UW Foundation Policy Overview
Filling out the UW Foundation Disbursement Request
- If you need a new 233 project, enter "NEW233" when completing the disbursement request. The L&S Budget Office will set up the new account and notify you of the new account number.
- If you are transferring funding to multiple 233 projects
- Typically, you must complete a separate disbursement request and gift routing form for each 233 project.
- NEW! If you have a high volume of requests (more than 10), please touch base with Amanda Mahr for a faster, more efficient method.
- If you are transferring from multiple UW Foundation funds to one 233 project, only one disbursement request and gift routing form are needed.
- Purpose of Expenditure: Add any additional info that will help you keep track of the purpose. No justification is required for these transfers, they are up to the discretion of the department.
- Signatures:
- The form should be signed by someone with financial oversight at the department. This may be the Chair/Director, Associate Chair, or Department Administrator, depending on the units internal practices. For separation of duties, the person who initiated the form should not sign as the approver.
- The second line is for the L&S divisional level approval signature (i.e. Jana Valeo, Annie Powers or Amanda Mahr).
Gift Deposit Routing Form
The Gift Deposit Routing Form is used by UW Gift Management and is used to identify which 233 project the funds from the UW Foundation should be deposited into.
Link: Gift Deposit Routing FormTips for filling out the Gift Check Routing Form:
- Click 'Create New Entry'
- Contact Information
- Click on the 'Add/Change' button to add yourself as a contact. Search for yourself on the 'Enter Contact Information' page.
- Add Checks
- Enter the amount of the transfer, and enter 'UWF' for the Check Donor field, and click 'Add'.
- The Check Number and heck Date fields will default to "TBD"
- Add Projects
- Complete either Option 1 (existing account) or Option 2 (new account) at the bottom of the form.
- If you are adding a new 233 project, the L&S Budget Office will set up the new account and notify you of the new account number.
- Click 'Print' when complete.
- Signatures
- The form should be signed by someone with financial oversight at the department. This may be the Chair/Director, Associate Chair, or Department Administrator, depending on the units internal practices. For separation of duties, the person who initiated the form should not sign as the approver.
- For new 233 projects, the Gift Check Routing form must also be signed by the PI.
- The Deans/Director's Office Representative signature will be Jana Valeo, Annie Powers or Amanda Mahr.
L&S Budget Office Contacts
- budgetoffice-gifts@ls.wisc.edu
- Jana Valeo
- Annie Powers
- Amanda Mahr
- David Olmos