Reunion Fundraising

REUNION FUNDRAISING

The Reunion Class Gift

Reunions are a great way to reconnect with Bates and to one another, and Reunion gifts are an important part of the tradition. Each year, nearly 200 alumni from Reunion classes volunteer on behalf of their Reunion Class Gift. Throughout the year, these volunteers personally contact classmates and encourage them to make a generous gift to Bates in honor of their Reunion.

Reunion provides an opportunity for alumni to show their appreciation for the experiences they had as students at Bates and to help make those experiences available to current and future generations of Batesies. Many alumni reaffirm their loyalty to Bates by making “stretch” gifts, and classmates who have never given or give infrequently may be motivated to participate as part of Reunion. As a result, classes celebrating Reunion usually contribute a gift to the college that is many times greater than a non-Reunion year class gift.

What is a Reunion Gift?

Any gift or multi-year pledge that classmates make between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012 to any Bates designation is counted in the Reunion Class Gift total. Some classmates may have made a large multi-year pledge since your last Reunion and the total amount of that pledge may also count toward the Reunion Class Gift total. While all gifts, regardless of where they are directed, are recognized in the Class Gift total, the need for budget-relieving Bates Fund gifts is greater now more than ever and Reunion Gift Committees are charged with raising money for the Fund as a priority.

50th Reunion: The 50th Reunion gift is comprised current gifts that provide support to Bates today and future gifts that will provide support in years to come. An extended accrual period was recently established to provide extra time for alumni and their families to consider their estate plans and their ability to use the financial resources accumulated during lifetime to make a legacy gift to Bates. For the Class of 1962, the accrual period reaches back to July 1, 2007, and extends through June 30, 2012, and will include a five-year pledge period for future gifts established during Reunion year. Current gifts include gifts to the Bates Fund, gifts of cash or securities for capital projects and endowed funds, distributions from IRAs or donor advised funds, and gifts of real estate. Future gifts include charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts, beneficiary designations for life insurance policies, retirement accounts, bank accounts, annuities and documented bequest intentions. The Office of Gift Planning works with the 50th Reunion Class to provide fundraising support and assistance for this very special class gift.

How do we set a Class Goal?

All Reunion classes set dollar and participation goals for the Reunion gift. Participation refers to the percentage of classmates who make a gift or multi-year pledge, regardless of the amount.  Classes work with their assigned Annual Giving staff liaison to set an aggressive yet attainable working goal in the beginning of the fiscal year. Final dollar goals are determined by looking at past class giving and recent totals from classes who celebrated your particular Reunion, and are announced to the classes early in the Fund year.

The Case for Bates Fund Support

The majority of classmates will make their Reunion Gift to the Bates Fund. Including gifts from alumni, parents, and friends, the Bates Fund helps to make up the more than $15,500 difference between the comprehensive fee and the actual cost of educating each Bates student. The Fund provides more than 6% of the total operating budget, supporting everything from faculty salaries and curriculum development to athletic team travel and dance performances.

Annual giving is crucial to maintaining Bates’ intellectual vitality, faculty excellence, diverse student population, residential life, and campus facilities. Gifts to the Bates Fund provide essential support that can be spent immediately on the college’s most important priorities—financial aid, academic quality and the learning experience, student life, and campus revitalization.

The Bates Fund and the Endowment

Think of the Bates Fund as a type of checking account, in contrast to the college’s endowment, which functions more as a type of savings account. Endowment funds are invested in perpetuity to ensure the college’s future strength; only the income is spent (slightly less than five percent annually). Because of this, $5.5 million in Bates Fund support provides the same spending power for the college as $110 million in new endowment gifts!

While Bates stretches its resources through superb planning and careful spending, it continues to compete with colleges that have much deeper pockets. As Bates works to multiply its endowment through fundraising and wise investment strategies, a robust Bates Fund helps keep Bates in the game. As the Bates Fund grows each year, Bates can begin to reduce its dependence on tuition fees, lower endowment spending (allowing endowment principal to grow more rapidly), and fund current programs more adequately and consistently.  Each and every gift, regardless of size, makes a difference.

It is important to remember that Bates needs and welcomes gifts of all sizes. Every gift, when added to the contributions of others, multiplies into major support for the important work of Bates students and faculty.  In addition, the percent of alumni that contribute to the Bates Fund is an important bench mark when Bates is compared to other NESCAC schools.  In short, alumni participation shows the Bates community and the national collegiate community that our alumni care for the education they received.

More Reasons to Support Bates Today

In addition to these very practical reasons for supporting Bates, there are other, more philosophical reasons for making Bates a top philanthropic priority.  Among these:

• Bates is our responsibility. We are the stewards. There are just over 25,000 people in a world of six billion who can carry Bates forward. These are the alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff, students, and Trustees who understand the power of a Bates education. If those closest to the institution do not give generously, who will?
• Bates is essential among the nation’s highest-ranking colleges. Because of Bates’ high academic standards, long-standing commitment to egalitarianism, and distinctive Maine location, it offers each student an experience that is unique among the nation’s colleges. If Bates were not among the outstanding choices in American higher education, much would be lost.
• Bates is underfunded. Bates has fewer resources to educate today’s students than its accomplishments, ambitions, and plans merit. Bates’ endowment is one-half to one-fifth the size of our NESCAC peers, and the annual fund compares similarly. Bates is a highly accountable and efficient operation. Since current resources are stretched, financial growth can only come through increased giving.
• Alumni support and involvements advances the college’s mission and vision.  Whether you are spreading the word about Bates in your own community, fund raising for the Bates Fund, or planning for Reunion, you are an ambassador for Bates and a piece of the living breathing community of Bates.

Peer Data

Today, Bates competes with very wealthy schools with large endowments and annual operating budgets. While the college continues to work diligently to increase its endowment, annual gifts to the Bates Fund enable the college to provide critical resources today to offer an education that prepares students for their lives tomorrow.

Below are three informative peer comparison charts:

2009-2010 Annual Fund Reunion Giving Peer Comparison

What Makes Bates Distinct?

Volunteers should take pride in Bates’ distinctive qualities and be able to articulate them.

• The “bookends” of the first-year seminar and the senior thesis
• Real access to tenured and tenure-track professors
• Independent learning opportunities
• Required and intensive emphasis on writing
• Required literacy in quantitative and scientific analysis
• Bates as a lifelong trend setter: always co-ed, never a Greek system, one of the first to make SATs optional, founded by abolitionists - one of the first colleges to care about diversity
• The General Education Requirements that help students develop a range of skills across many disciplines and challenge them to think in more complex ways

Some Key Bates Facts

• Enrollment.  In 2010-11, the student body included 1,725 men and women from 44 states and 64 foreign countries.  Approximately 18.4% were U.S. students from underrepresented minority groups and international students. Bates aims to keep the size of the student body steady at this number.
• Tuition and the Cost of a Bates Education.  In 2010-11, the comprehensive fee was $53,300 per year. The actual cost of educating a Bates student is typically $15,500 higher than this fee.
• Financial Aid.  Last year, 40% of Bates students received need-based college-administered scholarships and grants. The average grant was approximately $31,211.
• Operating budget.  In 2010-11, the budget was slightly more than $90 million.
• Endowment.  The endowment as of June 30, 2010 stood at approximately $200 million.

Whom Do We Ask, And How?

Bates sends five to seven direct mail or e-mail solicitations to Bates alumni every year. However, direct mail alone will not usually move a potential donor to act. Personal contact is the most effective form of solicitation. The following groups of solicitors ask for Bates Fund gifts:

1. Mount David Society Committee (MDS) members generally call non-Reunion alumni who have given generously and/or consistently to the Bates Fund in the past and/or have the potential to make gifts of $1,855+. Assigned donors may or may not be in a volunteer’s class.
2. Reunion Gift Committee members solicit classmates for a “stretch” gift, often at the Mount David Society level, in honor of their upcoming Reunion.
3. Parents Fund Committee members solicit parents of current students and graduates who have the capacity to make MDS-level gifts.
4. Class Agents write or call assigned classmates during non-Reunion years to ask for Bates Fund gifts.
5. The Bobcat Callers, Bates’ very successful student callers, make phone calls to Bates alumni and parents who are not assigned to volunteers or staff members, and whose ask amounts are not at the Mount David Society level of $1,855.
6. Bates Advancement staff members personally solicit some alumni and parents because of their capacity for leadership gifts to the Bates Fund or other funding priorities; because they are a volunteer themselves for the college; or because they are in a region where that staff person typically travels.

The Mount David Society

Launched in 2004, the Mount David Society (MDS) recognizes alumni and parents who make annual unrestricted gifts in excess of $1,855 to the Bates Fund. The Society stands for:

Why It Matters

Because MDS gifts typically account for 72% of the overall Bates Fund every year, growing the number of MDS donors is critical to the future of Bates. In the coming years and in preparation for the next major comprehensive campaign, Bates needs to raise substantially more money for the Bates Fund to cover a growing operating budget and to be competitive with its peers. We need volunteers to make “peer-to-peer” solicitations to raise the sights of current and potential leadership donors in order to sustain the essentials of a Bates education and position Bates for future success.

Mount David Society Leadership Giving Levels

President’s Associates
$10,000 and above

Founder’s Associates

• $1,855 – $9,999
• Members of the nine most recent classes making a gift of at least $100 multiplied by the number of years since graduation

Mount David Society Pathways and Recognition

The Mount David Society carries the Bates imprimatur. Society donors, through clearly delineated pathways, gain access to what they need in order to be effective philanthropists and valuable partners.

• Members will receive special invitations to student-focused campus events, such as the Mount David Summit, and off-campus events featuring Bates leaders.
• Members will have access to networking opportunities with professional peers.
• Members will have access to Bates leaders and information on the state of the college.
• Members will receive communications tailored to donor interests and concerns.
• Members will have a seamless donor experience that elevates their understanding of Bates and the Society’s role in preserving Bates excellence.

Bates Fund Named Scholars Program

Through the Named Scholars Program, donors may name a current-use scholarship after themselves or a loved one with an annual gift of $5,000 or more to the Bates Fund. The college spends the gift fully during the academic year to provide much-needed scholarship assistance to a deserving student.

Reunion Gift Committees may choose to raise funds for the Bates Fund and designate it to the Named Scholars Program to award an annual gift to a student who would be known as the Class of XXXX Scholar.

Donors who establish named scholarships in the Bates Fund get to know their scholarship student/s. All donors receive an annual activity report which provides a profile/s of the student recipient/s of the scholarship, and most donors also receive correspondence from the scholarship recipient/s.

The Phillips Society

Gifts of future support to Bates are profoundly important to the college. Through the years, funds from realized bequests provide invaluable stability through unpredictable market cycles and extend the influence and values of loyal alumni across generations. The Phillips Society honors alumni, parents, and friends who have the vision and generosity to make Bates a part of their legacy by establishing life income gifts, such as charitable gift annuities and trusts, or by naming Bates as a beneficiary of their estate through will or living trust. Many of our alumni have discovered that partnering with Bates to establish a life-income gift allows them to make a larger gift to the college than they thought possible. In addition, many alumni appreciate the opportunity to exchange certain assets for a steady stream of income and substantial tax benefits. Life income gifts count toward Reunion giving totals - and many classes will want to work to increase their membership in the Phillips Society because a bequest is a gift everyone can make! (Please contact Erin Martin in the Office of Gift Planning for more information.)

Ways to Give

Giving Vehicles

Donors may take advantage of a variety of giving vehicles available at Bates. Using alternative giving methods often enables donors to make larger gifts than they might have thought possible.

• Credit Card. Bates accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. Volunteers can take a credit card gift over the phone or encourage classmates to make their gift online using their credit card. If you take a credit card gift, remember to ask for: 1) the type of credit card, 2) the card number, 3) the expiration date, 4) the gift amount, and 5) the donor’s name as it appears on the card.
• www.bates.edu. Alumni may click on “Make a Gift” on the college’s secure Web site to make a credit card gift.
• Checks. All checks should be made payable to “Bates College” and mailed to:  The Bates Fund, Bates College, 2 Andrews Road, Lewiston, Maine 04240.
• Monthly Giving. The Monthly Giving program allows alumni to make a gift to Bates through monthly billing to their credit card or monthly deduction from a bank account.  The program saves time and energy and will also save the college paper and postage because participants do not receive additional appeal mailings throughout the year.  Visit www.bates.edu/advancement/ways-to-give/monthly-giving-program/ for more information.
• Appreciated Securities. Many donors have been able to make a larger gift than they imagined by giving appreciated securities. In most instances, a gift of stocks, bonds, or mutual fund shares, if they have appreciated in value, is more advantageous than a gift of cash because the donor avoids paying capital gains taxes. For information on making a gift of securities, visit www.bates.edu/advancement/ways-to-give/delivery-instructions-for-gifting-securities-to-bates-college/ or call the Office of College Advancement at (207) 786-6332.
• Matching Gifts. Many corporations have established matching gift programs in which the company matches employees’ gifts to non-profit organizations. Matching gifts result in corporate gifts of one, two, or sometimes three times the amount contributed by the donor!  Some companies will even match a gift made by a retired employee or the spouse of an employee. Matching gifts must be initiated by the donor and comply with individual company guidelines. Donors should consult with their employers’ human resources office for specific information on how to get a match for Bates.
• Life Income Gifts. Many donors find they can make a larger gift in honor of Reunion by establishing a life-income gift such as a charitable gift annuity or charitable trust. In exchange for gifts of cash, securities, or other assets such as real estate, Bates can work with your classmates to find a life-income gift arrangement to meet specific retirement or estate-planning needs. These gifts provide attractive income, substantial tax deductions, and a wonderful remainder gift to Bates. Contact Erin Martin, Director of Gift Planning, at emartin2@bates.edu or 207-786-8373, for more information.
• Bequests and Beneficiary Designations. Everyone should have a will, and a bequest is a gift everyone can make. The Office of Gift Planning has wonderful resources information to help you make plans for family, friends, and all who are important to you. Please consider naming Bates as a beneficiary of your will or living trust, or designate Bates as beneficiary of a retirement account, bank account, annuity or insurance policy. There are important estate-tax implications to be considered, and we can help. Other welcome future gifts include a remainder interest in a charitable or standard trust or a donor advised fund. Please contact Erin Martin, Director of Gift Planning, at emartin2@bates.edu or 207-786-8373, for more information.

Other Gift Designations

The vast majority of alumni make their gift to Bates through the Bates Fund. However, some alumni choose to direct their philanthropy to another college priority. Gifts to all designations “count” toward the Reunion Class Gift total.

• Friends of Bates Athletics
  The Friends of Bates Athletics (FBA) includes alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends who have an interest in athletics at Bates. Through financial contributions, the Friends of Bates Athletics program strengthens the budgets of varsity and club teams, helping those teams to become as competitive as possible. The FBA also provides an opportunity for Bates athletics enthusiasts to connect at events and gatherings. For more information on the FBA program, please contact Susan Harriman at sharrima@bates.edu or 207-786-6238.
• Gifts to the Endowment
  Increasing the Bates endowment provides a stronger base on which to build the college’s future, dramatically enhancing the ability to meet key needs of faculty salaries, student financial aid and a host of opportunities within the academic programs. Creating endowed funds leaves a permanent, positive legacy that will play a significant role in keeping our academic programs relevant and competitive. Alumni, parents or friends may establish a named endowed fund that will continue in perpetuity with a minimum pledge of $100,000.
• Capital Projects
  As the college completes the first phase of the Campus Facilities Master Plan, many wonderful opportunities exist for alumni to contribute to capital projects, including the renovations of Roger Williams Hall, Hedge Hall, the Chapel, and student housing. As with endowment gifts, there are specific minimum dollar amounts required for capital contributions.

Please direct any Reunion fundraising questions to Curt Lyford, Associate Director of Annual Giving at clyford@bates.edu or 207-755-5987.