Two NYS Programs Help UAlbany Donors Maximize Giving Power

A large group of people sitting at tables for the Celebration of Scholarship dinner.
An audience of UAlbany donors, students, faculty and staff listens to Jeff Black '76, retired senior partner and vice chair of Deloitte, as he presides over the 2024 Celebration of Scholarships dinner (photo credit: Patrick Dodson '12, MA '23).

UAlbany donors now have an unprecedented and time-limited opportunity to multiply their giving power through two powerful incentive programs: the SUNY University Center Endowment Match Program and the NYS Charitable Tax Credit Program.  

The SUNY match program offers $1 in state funds for every $2 committed to UAlbany’s endowment. Gifts of $35,000 or more — made or pledged by March 31, 2026 — can support scholarships, faculty excellence, and research, while creating a permanent legacy. 

For donors with a New York State income tax liability, the NYS Charitable Tax Credit Program provides an 85% state tax credit for gifts of $10,000+ made through the SUNY Impact Foundation, which in turn directs the contribution to UAlbany. Applications must be submitted by Sept. 30, 2025. Gifts to UAlbany’s endowment are also eligible for NYS matching funds. The credit is a direct reduction of a donor’s NYS tax liability.  

Elda Di Re
Elda A. Di Re, BS '83, retired tax partner at EY, accepts the University at Albany Alumni Association's 2023 Excellence in Business Award (photo credit: Patrick Dodson '12, MA '23).

“These incentives present a triple win for donors," says Elda Di Re '83, a renowned national expert on tax strategies, retired tax partner at EY, and campaign co-chair for Inspire the Next: The Campaign for the Massry School of Business. Di Re says the two state programs represent an extraordinary moment for philanthropic leverage.  

"They amplify the value of the gift, offer significant tax advantages, and most importantly provide long-term impact for UAlbany students!”  

At an August 2025 conference for fundraising professionals across the State University of New York system, Di Re offered three charitable planning strategies for high-income taxpayers who itemize:  

  • Consider accelerating gifts before the end of 2025 to avoid the 35% itemized deduction cap and the new 0.5% adjusted gross income floor, which begins in 2026.  
  • Use donor-advised funds to optimize deduction timing.
  • Consider Qualified Charitable Distributions for IRA owners age 70½+.

Di Re advises individuals to consult with their tax professionals to ensure these strategies work for them and that they are maximizing these rare opportunities.