We are only four days away from June 30th which means Alumni and Development offices around the country are encouraging alumni to donate to the Annual Fund. Many of us at EverTrue volunteer for our alma maters helping to encourage our classmates to give. In fact, EverTrue loves the Annual Fund so much we participated in each of our client school’s funds who have launched an app with us already this year.
The outpouring of thanks we saw from these gifts encouraged me to come up with this list of 5 reasons you should give to your institution’s Annual Fund right now!
1.) Participation is critical! You do not need to give thousands of dollars to make a difference! Many alumni resist supporting the annual fund because they think their gift of $5, $10 or $20 won’t have an impact. Guess what? You’re wrong! Alumni giving rates serve as a measure by which corporations and foundations rate alumni involvement. Major consideration is given to this category to see if alumni remain connected to their school. This means, if you can only afford a few dollars this year, give anyway. Your $5 gift, could actually turn into a multi-million dollar grant from a foundation.
2.) Are you impatient? Give to the Annual Fund. Hate waiting around for years to see the new science center built in your name? Then you should give to the Annual Fund. This donation goes immediately to the school’s budget and used right away to fund everything from apples in the dining hall to the Zoology department’s latest research project.
3.) The value of your degree partially depends on the Annual Fund. Alumni satisfaction is one of the major rankings used in US News and World Reports, Forbes and other lists that determine school ranking. How is Alumni satisfaction calculated? You guessed it! Alumni giving participation is a major component. These rankings, while widely disputed, serve to increase the value of your degree. Your donation now, could land your school at the top of the list next year.
4.) I’m still paying my loans, how can I give more? Isn’t that what tuition is for? It seems crazy, but tuition alone does not cover nearly all the costs of educating one student. Financial aid, facilities, faculty salaries, athletics, arts, the list goes on and on, all are supported by the Annual Fund. Your school depends on this additional support to keep the lights on.
5.) It’s actually really easy and supports a tradition. Nearly every school allows you to donate online now. No need to dust off your checkbook or hire a carrier pigeon to get your gift in by June 30th. In addition, the Annual Fund supports a tradition of philanthropy and gives you instant gratification by making a difference. If you are having a tough day, give to your alma mater, you will be doing a great thing and joining hundreds or thousands of alumni at your school who are saying Thank You.
If you need more motivation, check out these three great videos from Cal Poly, Sewanee and the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth, currently being used to urge alumni participation!
Have a great Annual Fund video?
Tweet it to the team @evertrue using the hashtag #finishstrong12 !