Gift Card & Award Process
Requesting a Gift Card: Complete a Special Expense form and submit for electronic signatures. It must be clearly stated on the Special Expense form who will receive the gift cards and for what purpose prior to Financial Management processing the request. Gift cards should not be provided to university employees. Once all required forms and authorizations are complete, complete service request for gift card purchase. Financial Management staff will place your gift card order as requested on the submitted forms.
*Regardless of the disbursement option chosen, all recipients must complete a MinnState Substitute W-9 if the individual gift card value exceeds $50.00. If the recipient is not a US citizen or permanent resident alien or is present under F-1 nonimmigrant student status, there is additional paperwork (TRIF) that must be completed regardless of gift card value. Without these documents fully completed in a legible manner, we cannot issue a gift card, prize or award. If the value of the individual gift card is $50.00 or less, and the student is receiving the gift card in-person, the Taxable Compensation spreadsheet must be completed (not a substitute W-9).
Forms
Gift Card Disbursement Options
eGift Card Disbursement (Preferred method): Each recipient must complete required documentation*. The requester will submit a list of recipient information via the Service Portal. Recipient information must include the recipient’s first and last name, Tech ID, email address, specified amount they are receiving, whether they are a student, employee, or other, and include the date the eGift card should be sent to recipient. Financial Management will place the gift card order and email the eGift card directly to the email address provided for the recipient, by the date specified. If recipients will receive their gift cards at different dates, submit one spreadsheet with all recipient information to Financial Management prior to needing the gift cards and communicate your specific needs if it is not already clear on the Special Expense authorization form.
Physical Gift Cards and In‐Person Disbursement: The requester will submit a ticket in the Service Portal. Financial Management will place the order for the requested gift cards. When gift cards arrive, the requester will be notified of their arrival and option times for pick up. The person picking up the gift cards will need to show their picture ID and sign a Receipt of Gift Cards (given at time of pick up) form acknowledging responsibility for the gift cards they are picking up and required documentation to be returned to Financial Management after disbursement. Recipients of the gift cards must complete and sign a substitute W9 (see forms above). The completed substitute W-9 is returned to Financial Management along with any unused gift cards within 60 days of gift card pick up. Unreconciled gift cards will require the requester to complete a notarized affidavit and will not be granted additional gift card requests until previous requests have been reconciled.
Physical Gift Cards Mailed to Recipients: The requester will notify recipients that their gift card will be mailed to the address on file and not replaced if lost or stolen. The requester will submit a ticket in the Service Portal. Financial Management will place the order for the requested gift cards. Each recipient must complete required documentation*. Addressed envelopes to recipients will be filled out by the requester and brought to the Financial Management office to the attention of “Purchasing" along with completed substitute W9s by each recipient if applicable. Financial Management staff will insert the gift cards into the envelopes and put them in the outgoing mail by date specified on authorization forms.
If an individual receives an award valued at larger than $50, but is not a gift card, the Substitute W9 for Student Prizes and Awards (Non-Gift Card) must be completed and submitted to Financial Management.
More information can be found on the MinnState Link for Prizes and Awards: https://minnstate.edu/system/finance/taxinformation/other/forms_procedures/index.html