Gifts, Awards, and Honoraria

Honoraria

An honorarium is a one-time payment granted in recognition of a special service or distinguished achievement for which propriety forbids any fixed business price to be set and is manifested by an activity such as a special lecture, participation in a workshop or panel discussion, or similar activities.

For more information on honoraria guidelines see the Controller's Office, including information about honoraria paid to foreign individuals.

Note: Honoraria cannot be paid to non-academic UC personnel.

Honorarium Payments to Non-UC Personnel

Please fill out the Honoraria form and attach a copy of flyer/lecture announcement or invitation letter and submit to Dana Kowalski.

*Maximum honorarium rate for non-UC personnel is $10,000.

Honorarium Payments to UC Faculty

Payment of honoraria to faculty from other UC campuses should be processed on an Intercampus One-Time Payment Form (UPAY 644C-T) and be routed through the Academic Personnel Office.

For more information about honoraria paid to UC faculty, please contact the Academic Personnel Office at 642-5626 or APpolicy@berkeley.edu.

*Maximum honorarium rate for UC faculty is $2,000 per event.

Guest Lecturers

Requests for Tokens of Appreciation ($50 Giftogram) should be completed after the event has transpired as a thank you. They will be distributed via email to the recipient and are fulfilled every other Friday, ie if you submit a request for a gift card on Monday, it will be purchased and distributed that Friday or the following Friday.

Requests for Parking Permits should be completed at least two weeks in advance to ensure it is delivered in time to the event. Requests are fulfilled weekly and as they are received, regardless of the event date.


Gifts

Spending Limits for Gifts for Employees

Promotional Items & Sympathy Gifts $75.00

All requests for gifts or donations must include business justification for the expense.  (Reference: UCOP BFB-G-41 Employee Non-Cash Awards and Other Gifts)
Complete a Gift Request Form.

Sympathy Flower Arrangement Requests

To request sympathy flowers for a death or major illness of an employee, emeriti, or a donor or a close member of an employee’s, emeriti's, or donor's family or household, please use this form.

Spending Limits for Gifts for Non-Employees

Note: The presentation of such gifts is permitted only if it can be demonstrated that the gift benefits the University or is clearly necessary to the University's fulfillment of its role as a good community citizen.  (Reference: UCOP BFB-G-42 Gifts Presented to Non-Employees on Behalf of the University)

  • Promotional Items $75.00
  • Appreciation, Recognition, or Incentive $600
  • Sympathy $200

Complete a Gift Request Form.


Payments to Human Subjects

Human Subject Prepaid Card Program

University Cash Handling & Banking Services offers a program for releasing plastic or electronic Visa gift cards for the compensation of human subjects. Please see the Controller's Office website for the Request Form and User Agreement. These forms should be submitted to Dana Kowalski in advance of the study commencement.

Other Compensation

If individuals are to be compensated for their participation in a research study, the purchase request for the compensation (stipends or gift cards) should be submitted to Dana Kowalski along with a copy of the CPHS letter approving the study as soon as possible before work is to begin. Researchers are highly discouraged from purchasing gift cards on their own and seeking reimbursement from the School.


Awards & Prizes

Awards and prizes are processed using the Purchase Request Form. Please include the following information as attachments and submit to Front Desk:

  • Award Letter
  • Description of Program or Competition
  • List of Recipients
  • Announcement (e.g. flyer) of the Competition (if available)

Donations and Contributions

The following are required to make Donations or Contributions with funds managed by the UC:

  • Honorarium Request Form, including business justification
  • Letter, e-mail or invoice from the organization receiving the funds which include a description of what the support is going towards.
  • Transmittal letter on University letterhead to the recipient, noting that the contribution is "made on behalf of the University of California".