1,068: Development and Governmental Relations Activities and Table Purchases

Last Revised: June 2025

Development Activities must be done in conjunction with the University Advancement and /or Development staff assigned to each individual area as part of their prospective donor work. The following development activities are not subject to the hosting meal and alcohol limits:

• Introducing potential donors to the University with the goal of receiving charitable gifts and grants in the form of money, securities, services, materials, facilities or other assets in support of the university’s priorities.
• Maintaining relationships with potential or existing donors, friends, and alumni of the University.
• Publicizing and conducting fundraising campaigns for specific schools, colleges, designated programs and university-wide needs and priorities.
• Types of events to include athletic events, groundbreakings, luncheons, dinners, and other events that have the capability to get people familiar with the university engaged and interested in its plans and vision for the future.
• Undertaking and conducting other activities that involve soliciting charitable gifts and grants from individuals – alumni and friends, corporations, foundations and other organizations.
• Recognizing and publicizing the generosity of donors and providing stewardship to donors.

In order for the expenditures to be approved all development actions entries must be entered in to the central fundraising database prior to forms being submitted to the signature authority.

Governmental Relations – The following governmental relations activities are not subject to the hosting meal and alcohol limits:

• Events conducted for the purpose of introducing or furthering interaction between local, state, and federal elected or appointed officials and/or their staff with University administrators, faculty, or staff.
• Events conducted for the purpose of representing or advocating the interests or importance to the University and NSHE in the development of governmental policy, appropriations, legislation, or executive directives.
• Developing or maintaining governmental relationships with the goal of promoting the University in a manner with local, state, and federal elected or appointed officials and/or their staff.
• Pursuing opportunities for favorable institutional-governmental projects and initiatives.

Approval must be obtained using the Hosting/Table and Ticket Request Form. The link to the submittal form can be found in Workday Knowledge Base.

The Vice President for Advancement or the President must approve all of the above expenses related to development activities.  The Vice President of Government and Community Engagement or the President must approve all of the above expenses related to governmental activities.

Table Purchases: It is the policy of the NSHE that the purchasing of tables and tickets at charity events or other public functions shall be limited (see NSHE Procedures and Guidelines Manual, Chapter 5, Section 1, Subsection 7). The Chancellor’s Office has set a limit for the University of Nevada, Reno of $50,000 per fiscal year to purchase tables and tickets. This $50,000 is the limit for the cumulative amount of money to be spent on table and ticket purchases from the entire campus per year. Thus, every table and ticket purchase must be approved in advance by the President so that the University as a whole does not exceed the $50,000 limit.

The request to purchase individual tickets or tables should be done not less than 30 days prior to the event. The Hosting/Table and Ticket Request Form link is available in Workday Knowledge Base. Before a department purchases a table or ticket, the request must be approved in advance. If the funds come from a gift that was designated in writing, in advance, by the donor for the purchase of a table at a specific event, the purchase will be excluded from the $50,000 fiscal year limitation. If a private donor or corporation donates a table to the University, the donation value shall not count toward the $50,000 annual limit.

Purchase of tables or tickets to University events that are for fund-raising or public functions is not included in the $50,000 table limit. The purchase of tables or tickets at campus sponsored fund-raising events may not include any gift portion of the cost. The department organizing the event will have the right to determine if it will agree to sell a table or ticket for only the non-gift amount.

Purchase of tables or tickets to internal University events that are primarily awards ceremonies or primarily non-public functions are not included in the $50,000 table limit and do not require advance approval under this policy.

The decision by the President on which table purchases to approve will be based on justification provided by the department and the table and ticket purchasing standards outlined in the NSHE Board of Regents Procedures and Guidelines Manual. As noted in Chapter 5, Section 1, Subsection 7, tables may NOT be purchased for events sponsored by other NSHE institutions. Also, tables may NOT be purchased at events hosted by organizations officially registered as political action committees.

The philosophy underlying the purchasing of tables and/or tickets to events is to advance the overall academic mission of the University, including fund raising and community relations. Several standards are outlined in the NSHE Board of Regents Procedures and Guidelines Manual, Chapter 5, Section 1, Subsection 7. Individual ticket and table purchases would normally be made on the basis of at least two affirmative answers to these standards. 

In most instances, this philosophy is best implemented by having NSHE employees sitting at different tables and/or by inviting community constituents to the hosted table.

If you have any questions about the table purchasing policy, please contact the President’s Office.