The Power of 1%

Designate your 1% income tax to benefit the Roma Access Program

What is the 1% tax?

Under Hungarian Tax Law, taxpayers may elect to donate 1% of their 2010 paid taxes to a charity or worthy cause of their choice. Many of you probably have a special charity you choose to support every year. Others may wonder what to do with this opportunity. If so, please consider designating your 2010 1% tax contribution to the Roma Access Program. Last year’s campaign raised HUF 1,544,292 (approximately €5,615). This year’s goal is to raise €13,000.

What is the Roma Access Program?

The Roma Access Program is a 9-month preparatory course for promising young Roma students from Central and Eastern Europe. The program aims to prepare students for their chosen field of study through intensive training, to accustom them to advanced academic life and to raise their English to a level adequate for post-graduate study.

What does my 1% donation support, specifically?

This year’s contributions will again support scholarships to the Roma Access Program (via the CEU Group aka KEE).* Scholarships include tuition and fees, health insurance, textbooks, and travel and living expenses. This financial commitment makes the program a possibility for even the most disenfranchised Roma students in the region.  More than 50 students have graduated from the program since it began in 2004. Over 50 percent of these graduates have been accepted into MA and PhD programs—many of them with competitive scholarships—at CEU, Harvard University, Brandeis University and other reputable international universities with stringent admissions standards.

Why does the Roma Access Program need my support?

The Roma Access Program relies on external funding to survive and thrive. Over €85,000 must be raised annually to cover program costs, including student scholarships.

How do I designate my 1% tax?

• If CEU HRO prepares and submits your tax return, you should enclose your declaration in a sealed envelope (both are attached) and provide it to CEU HRO by 31 March 2010.  Your personal data (name, address and tax number) and the number of declarations (1 or 2) should be written on the envelope. Please sign the envelope across the sealed flap.

• If you prepare your own tax return, you should enclose your declaration in a sealed envelope (both are attached).  Your personal data (name, address and tax number) and the number of declarations (1 or 2) should be written on the envelope.  Attach this envelope to your tax return– the declaration deadline is 20 May 2010.

After you make your declaration, you have no other duties—you do not need to transfer money or pay any additional taxes. The tax authorities will transfer your anonymous donation to the CEU system to benefit the Roma Access Program.

Please visit www.nonprofit.hu/english/egyszazalek.html for more information. Please note, if you would like to designate your 1% elsewhere,  feel free to use the envelope provided.

*KEE (CEU), being an institution of higher learning listed under Schedule No. 1 of Act CXXXIX of 2005 on Higher Education, is entitled to receive 1% donations from faculty, staff and friends under the 1% Law.

Please contact Kristina Vér in the CEU Development Office with any questions. x3491 or verk@ceu.hu