Annual Giving Volunteers
Who are the Alumni Fund Volunteers?
Every year a select group of alumni volunteers is chosen from each class to help raise money for Yale through the Alumni Fund. These annual gifts to the University are absolutely vital in sustaining the quality of a Yale education for today's students.
The Yale Alumni Fund Board is composed of approximately 75 alumni and led by a Chair, Vice-Chair, and Executive Committee. The mission of the Board is to set and support the fundraising programs of the Alumni Fund, Yale’s annual giving program to raise current use unrestricted gifts from all alumni. Board meetings are held three times during the fiscal year to review Fund progress and policies and determine appropriate goals and strategies.
The Chair of Agents is the fundraising leader for his/her Yale College Class or Graduate or Professional School's Alumni or Annual Fund. The Chair approves and coordinates all solicitation activities and manages a team of Agents.
Agents are alumni fundraisers who each solicit a group of alumni they feel will best respond to an annual solicitation by them on behalf of the University. The agent-to-individual relationship results in more personalized attention and keeps alumni connected to the University and each other.
Roles/Duties of Alumni Fund Agents
The primary responsibility for Alumni Fund Agents is to cultivate good relationships with assigned prospects and to work with the Alumni Fund staff to build a pool of strong annual donors to Yale. To accomplish this, Agents:
- Personalize solicitation letters to fellow alumni with postscript notes.
- Maintain regular contact with classmates and keep them up-to-date on University news and events.
- Follow up with thank-you notes to those who have given.
- Contact those who have not given to encourage support.
Types of Support for Yale
There are many different ways that alumni may be asked to support Yale. As an Alumni Giving volunteer, it's important to clarify the differences between annual gifts to the Alumni Fund and other solicitations alumni receive.
Annual Giving through the Alumni Fund
- Annual Giving through the Alumni Fund provides essential unrestricted support for the University's highest priorities.
- Alumni Fund gifts provide unrestricted resources for financial aid, facilities renovation, library collections, faculty support/curriculum development, and undergraduate life.
- All alumni are encouraged to support the Alumni Fund, even though they may also be directing support to other areas of the University.
Capital Gifts
Donors who choose to make capital gifts can direct their support toward a specific purpose that matches their personal interests with the needs and priorities of the University. Such purposes include facilities, financial aid, faculty support, and programs, and may lead to naming opportunities, which honor or memorialize a person of the donor's choosing. Capital gifts generally are of substantial size and can be either current use or endowment gifts. They are usually made above and beyond annual contributions. Donors may opt to fulfill gifts of a substantial amount over a period of three to five years.
Donors may also choose to structure their capital gifts in ways that benefit both the donor and Yale. For more information, see Planned Gifts.
Yale College Class Dues
Class dues fund class activities and communications and pay for the class's subscription to the Yale Alumni Magazine.
Association Gifts
Athletic associations, student organizations, and other Yale groups often solicit affiliated alumni for contributions. Examples include the Football Y Association and the Glee Club. These gifts help organizations fund their activities.
Other Special Appeals
From time to time, professional schools, classes, residential colleges, associations, and other groups will organize special appeals for a particular purpose. Sometimes, these gifts go toward establishing a fund in memory or honor of a well-loved fellow graduate or a prominent University figure.
Graduates with More Than One Yale Degree or Affiliation
Those who hold degrees from more than one Yale school may receive solicitations for annual and special campaign or reunion gifts from each of the constituencies with which they were affiliated.
Yale College Quarter-Century Fund
The Quarter-Century Fund is the "seed gift" for the class's twenty-fifth reunion. The QCF is invested as part of the Yale Endowment and will be incorporated into the class's twenty-fifth reunion gift. QCF pledge reminders are mailed once a year in late November or early December. Unlike Alumni Fund gifts, payments to the QCF do not provide current support.
For details, please contact Beth Parkhurst at (203) 432-7698 or beth.parkhurst@yale.edu
The Phone Program
The mission of the Phone Program is to build relationships with alumni/ae who might not otherwise have personal contact with the University in order to enhance fundraising results. Through these conversations, students play a key role in keeping alumni and parents connected to the University. The Phone Program complements efforts by Class Volunteers (Agents and Chairs) and contributes to the success of the Alumni Fund.
If you are interested in working for the Phone Program, please contact the office at development.phoneprogram@yale.edu or call (203) 764-9253.
The Nathan Hale Associates:
Leadership Recognition Levels for Unrestricted Current Use Annual Giving
- The Nathan Hale Associates is an important fundraising tool to encourage increased annual giving.
- Recognition gifts are an effective reminder of the importance of the donor's support for Yale.
- Different giving levels provide a "step-up" challenge for increasing gift amounts.
- Nathan Hale Associates are publicized and acknowledged by category.
- For details, please contact Karri Brady at (203) 432-5843 or karri.brady@yale.edu
Senior Class Gift to the Yale Alumni Fund:
Undergraduates at Yale have a long history of contributing to the Alumni Fund in various forms. In 2003, the Senior Class Gift as we now know it was established. The Senior Class Gift is a three-week, class-based effort directed toward raising unrestricted, current use funds. Classes typically raise around $20,000 and have achieved participation rates of up to 83%. The most important part of this initiative is to educate seniors about giving back to Yale and to inspire them to take meaningful action in furthering Yale’s future. The Senior Class Gift is a chance for the senior class to set a precedent for annual giving in the class.
For more information or to become a volunteer, contact Shannon O'Keefe at (203) 432-5480 or shannon.okeefe@yale.edu. You can also visit the Senior Class Gift website at www.yale.edu/scg.
Thankathon Volunteers:
Each year, the Alumni Fund hosts events, such as Thank-a-Thons, where students are invited to come and call alumni donors to thank them for their support. During these events, students are also educated about the Yale Alumni Fund and the importance of annual giving. Last year, over 500 donors received personal phone calls from current Yale students. These alumni often express their gratitude after receiving these personal calls, as many of them are not able to visit campus often and appreciate hearing from the students.
To find out more about upcoming events, or to get involved, please contact Beth Parkhurstat (203) 432-7698 or beth.parkhurst@yale.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Alumni Gifts important?
Alumni giving through the Alumni Fund's annual appeal provides vital current support for Yale's daily operating needs. When you were at Yale, your education was subsidized by the annual gifts of previous generations. Many alumni view annual giving as an opportunity to fulfill their role in giving something back. Today, this giving makes a tremendous impact in helping to defray the cost of a Yale education, which for each student is almost double the price of tuition. Participation is also an important measure of alumni attitudes toward the University.
Why raise current funds when the Yale Endowment is so large?
The Yale Endowment ensures that future generations of students and faculty may enjoy resources in a similar proportion to those currently available. In order to accomplish this, Yale maintains a spending rule of roughly 5% on the Endowment. This means that the Yale Endowment would have to grow $20 to equal every $1 in unrestricted support. Moreover, approximately three-fourths of Yale's Endowment is restricted by agreement with prior donors to specific uses (i.e., upkeep of particular buildings, specific named professorships). With Yale making a concerted effort to keep tuition increases minimal each year, unrestricted gifts from alumni remain one of the primary sources of income for Yale.
How should I ask for an annual gift?
First, let your classmate know that you are volunteering your time and energy raising funds for the University. Then, explain why you think it is important by discussing your own views and commitment to Yale. Be certain to emphasize that participation and gifts of any size are important. If appropriate, encourage your classmates to consider a gift at one of the Nathan Hale Associates levels. At the end of a written note or phone call, always express gratitude and thanks when asking your classmate to consider a gift. Any amount is appreciated and helps to sustain Yale's excellence.
To see a sample e-mail solicitation, please view a short photo presentation sent to 2006-2007 donors to Yale College.
What if my classmate says, "I already gave"?
With many alumni supporting multiple areas of the University, it is not uncommon for persons to think they already made their annual gift. A classmate who has paid class dues or sent a pledge payment on a campaign commitment might mistakenly think that these are the same as alumni gifts. In cases like these, thank the person for their support, but take the time to explain that you are raising support for the University's Alumni Fund and talk about the importance of unrestricted giving.
How do the Yale Alumni Fund and AYA serve the different needs of the University and the alumni?
The primary mission of the Yale Alumni Fund is to raise unrestricted annual support for the University through the Alumni Fund appeal every year. The Yale Alumni Fund is part of the Yale Office of Development, which focuses on raising all types of support from alumni, parents, corporations, and foundations as well as friends of the University.
The Association of Yale Alumni is responsible for organizing alumni events and educational programs such as reunion weekends and alumni assemblies. AYA coordinates activities at Yale Clubs across the country and around the world and supports the work of Class Secretaries and Treasurers. AYA also maintains class listservs and Virtual Yale Station. For further information about AYA, see www.aya.yale.edu.
Yale College Alumni and Undergraduates
Graduate School Alumni
Professional School Alumni
See the history of the Yale Alumni Fund.
