As a new semester gets underway, please take a moment to review the Whitman College policies regarding giving out awards and prizes.
Cash and cash equivalent benefits (gift certificates, gift cards, cash cards)—no matter the amount—are all considered taxable income to the recipients. If you give a gift card using college funds, please review and submit the Gift Card Reporting Form to the Office of Accounting and Business Services.
If you’ve given a gift card or compensation to a research participant, please review the Gift Card and Research Participant Compensation Policy and submit the Report of Whitman Research Participant Compensation instead of the Gift Card Reporting Form.
In addition, non-cash benefits (such as tangible awards and gifts) that exceed certain taxable limits may also be considered taxable income to the recipients. A non-cash gift to any individual must be reported if it exceeds $100 per individual.
Thinking about having a raffle at your next event? Whitman does not have a raffle license with the State of Washington. To maintain compliance with the Washington State Gambling Commission, the college cannot support raffles on campus. Please reach out to the Business Office to brainstorm alternative prize options.