Community fundraisers: Supporters outside of the organization may wish to organize and host their own event to benefit the WVU Cancer Institute. Community fundraisers can be held online or in person. The development team has a guide and toolkit for planning a fundraiser.

Material donations: Those interested in making material donations, such as care packages for patients, are invited to contact us in advance to discuss current needs and requirements. It is our goal to help donors feel confident about their gift.

Contact us at 304-293-7585 for more information about community fundraisers or material donations.

Online

Search or browse funds on our secure online giving site to make a financial gift.

By mail or phone

WVU Cancer Institute
Office of Philanthropy
PO Box 9300
Morgantown, WV 26505-9300

304-293-7585

Support an existing fund

A number of existing funds to which you can direct your gift support the WVU Cancer Institute. Visit the secure online giving site, to learn more about existing funds.

Tribute gift

• A tribute gift memorializes or honors a loved one while also supporting the WVU Cancer Institute. Certain tribute gifts include a room naming/dedication. Tribute gifts come in two forms: “gifts in memory of” and “gifts in honor of.” Each of these is a powerful tool through which you can remember and celebrate someone whose life has had an impact on you and/or your family.

Monthly recurring donation

• A monthly donation is a convenient way to give and make a difference throughout the year. The support of monthly donors helps to ensure that we press on in our mission to lessen the cancer burden in and around West Virginia. Visit the secure online giving site and select “Recurring Gift” on the credit card transaction page to make a monthly recurring donation.

Create an endowment

• We can tailor your individual interests and passions to a specific need by creating an endowment that will provide support in perpetuity. Depending on the purpose, endowments require differing minimum gift sizes. Please contact us so we can discuss with you the possibilities.

Matching gifts

• Your employer may sponsor a gift-matching program that will allow your generosity to be matched. Learn more.

Gifts through a will

• Planned gifts are often donated through a will or trust. Bequests can be for a specific dollar amount or asset, a percentage of the total estate, or the remainder of the estate. Learn more.

Securities and retirement assets

• Donating securities, such as stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, is a common way to contribute.
• IRA Charitable Rollover – If you are at least 70 ½, you can make a charitable gift directly from your IRA without incurring federal income tax on the withdrawal.
• Donor Advised Funds – If you participate in a donor-advised fund, you can easily direct your donation to benefit a specific program.

Gifts by beneficiary designation

• Retirement Fund Assets – You can name the WVU Cancer Institute/WVU Foundation as a beneficiary of your retirement fund assets.
• Life Insurance – You can also name the WVU Cancer Institute/WVU Foundation as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy. A Charitable Giving Rider attached to the policy will pay out an additional percentage of the face value of the policy at no additional cost to you. You can also use a new or existing policy to fund a future gift to us or give us a policy whose coverage you no longer need.

Gifts that pay income

• Gift Annuity – A Charitable Gift Annuity is a contract that will pay you or a beneficiary a fixed amount for the rest of your life. If you don’t need your income stream yet, you can set up a deferred gift annuity and set up a future date to begin receiving payments.
• Trusts – A Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust is like a gift annuity and makes annual payments fixed at a specific percentage of the value of the trust when it is established. It provides a fixed amount for a term or years, or for life.
• Alternatively, a Charitable Remainder Unitrust pays you or other named beneficiary a fixed percentage of the principal in the trust as it is valued annually. Additional gifts can be made at any time.

Gifts that protect assets

• A Charitable Lead Trust provides the WVU Cancer Institute/WVU Foundation with an annual payment for a fixed term of years, after which the principal is returned to the individuals whom you designate. This can serve to reduce your taxable estate and convey your property to your heirs at considerable tax savings.

Gifts with retained use

• Retained Life Estates allow you to give your home or other property to the WVU Cancer Institute/WVU Foundation while retaining the right to live in and use the property while you are alive.

In-kind gifts

• Do you have a unique asset, such as a work of art, book collection, equipment, software, license, or real estate? You may be able to give a gift in-kind and transfer the ownership of the property to the WVU Cancer Institute/WVU Foundation.
• All gifts to the WVU Cancer Institute are processed through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of West Virginia University and its affiliated entities.

The WVU Cancer Institute coordinates a handful of signature events each year through strategic partnerships. Individuals and corporations can support the WVU Cancer Institute during these events through sponsorships, participation, purchasing tickets, and/or by bidding on auction items.

Annual signature events include:

• The WVU Cancer Institute Gala is held over a weekend each spring at The Greenbrier in White Sulpher Springs, West Virginia. The formal event includes dining, dancing, silent and live auctions, as well as other top-tier experiences.
• The WVU Cancer Institute Pink Party benefits Bonnie’s Bus, a mobile mammography unit that travels West Virginia, offering breast cancer screening in a comfortable, convenient environment. The event is a lively and engaging cocktail-style party, traditionally held in Morgantown, West Virginia.
• The WVU Cancer Institute Golf Classic tournament is followed by an after-event featuring a delicious meal, on-stage show, auctions, and special guests. Proceeds benefit the Live Like Brent Comfort Fund, which provides support for patients being treated for blood cancer at the WVU Cancer Institute.
• The WVU Cancer Institute Breast Cancer Survivor Walk is held at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. We honor our breast cancer survivors, recognize their supporters, provide valuable resources, and grow hope for those in treatment, while we celebrate the legacy of Betty Puskar, a titan of cancer philanthropy and awareness in West Virginia. Event proceeds benefit the WVU Cancer Institute Betty Puskar Breast Care Enhancement Fund.
• The WVU Women’s Soccer 4v4 Breast Cancer Tournament is held each year during the university’s spring semester to benefit the Betty Puskar Breast Cancer Center and increase awareness about the importance of annual mammograms. The tournament takes place in Morgantown and features three-person teams from the community who are then paired with a Mountaineer player.

To stay up-to-date on news about upcoming events, follow the WVU Cancer Institute on social media.

Questions? Contact Stephanie McCandless at [email protected].

Volunteers are a critical part of our team. You can provide comfort, support, and a sense of companionship, or help guide visitors. Your contributions as a volunteer can make a meaningful impact on our patients and their families, as well as the daily operations of our center. Join us in making a positive impact and experience the fulfillment that comes from giving back to those in need.

All volunteers are processed through Volunteer Services.

Learn more about volunteer opportunities, application details, and requirements.