University of New England

Annual Fund Frequently Asked Questions

How is My Annual Fund Contribution Put To Work?

What are Matching Gifts?

What is the Giving History of the Annual Fund?

What is the Overall Level of Alumni Giving?

How Does the University Raise Annual Fund Money?

How Does the University Recognize Donors?

What are the Ways I Can Give to the Annual Fund?

How is My Annual Fund Contribution Put To Work?
Annual Fund gifts provide much needed "budget relief" and support large and important items such as:
Financial Aid
Academic support
Libraries
Campus beautification

Donors to the Annual Fund may opt to make unrestricted gifts to the Fund or may opt to designate one of the aforementioned areas to target their support.

Annual Fund gifts can be restricted for any current use identified by the donor, or donors may designate the gift be used for a specific college, campus, or program of study. (Donations made by Westbrook College alumni are used at the Westbrook College Campus and donations made by College of Osteopathic Medicine alumni are used for the medical school, unless the donor specifies otherwise.)

Participation in the Annual Fund is important at any level because many corporations and foundations look at the total number of donors or the percentage of alumni-giving in determining whether they will support the University with grants and gifts.

What are Matching Gifts?
Corporate matching gifts are a vitally important source of revenue for the Annual Fund and are critical for the support of UNE’s students' education by providing unrestricted support, financial aid, academic program support, library support, and campus beautification. Thousands of companies and corporate foundations match gifts to non-profit institutions such as UNE. Also, matching gifts are a great way to increase support of UNE without additional out-of-pocket expense. Please click here to find a list of companies that offer matching gift programs. To add the name of your company to this list, please contact the Alumni Advancement office at (207) 221-4914.

Eligible donors can compound the value of their contribution, perhaps by as much as two or three times.

Donors are able to enhance their total for gift club membership.

Many donors are eligible to submit matching gift claims from both their own and their spouse's employer for the same gift.

Contact the human resources office at your employer, spouse's employer, or even your former employer, if you are retired, to inquire about their matching gift program. You will be asked either to complete and submit a form directly to UNE with your payment or to contact the company's matching gift coordinator by telephone or e-mail to report your gift. To contact the University regarding matching gifts, please contact Mandy Speaker, Assistant Director of the Annual Fund, at MSpeaker@une.edu or (207) 221-4914.

What is the Giving History of the Annual Fund?

Annual Fund Totals
2006	$660,000
2005	$637,000
2004	$666,000*
2003	$521,000*
2002	$607,000
2001	$544,000
2000	$539,000
1999	$508,000
1998	$484,000
1997	$370,000

*2004 totals include $86,000 from an estate.
*2002/03 totals were raised in only 11-months due to a Fiscal Year change.

Every $100,000 raised in Annual Fund gifts represents the income expended from $2.5 million of endowment principal, given UNE's desired endowment spending level. The Annual Fund has enjoyed remarkable success the last 5-years in supporting the University’s budget.

What is the Overall Level of Alumni Participation?
While the dollars given to the Annual Fund each year are an incredibly important part of the equation, alumni participation is also a vital component of the fund each year. The alumni participation rate for years hovered in the low-10 percent range until recently where it has risen to as high as 21%.

Alumni Giving
- Total Percent of Participation -

	Alumni Giving - Annual Fund Participation *
	Alumni Giving - All Funds Participation *

	2001-'02	2002-'03	2003-'04	2004-'05	2005-'06
	15.4%	18.4%	21.0%	21.7%	20.5%
	20.1%	20.6%	22.0%	23.1%	21.8%

* Participation rates vary from year to year depending on the number of solicitable alumni and depending on how many alumni donate to the school.

Thanks to the 5-year initiative that was part of The UNEqualed Vision Campaign, the alumni giving eclipsed the 20% participation mark during the 1999-2000 year. As UNE and the Westbrook College Campus moves forward, maintaining and enhancing alumni participation is one of the chief goals of the Annual Fund staff.  National publications such as U.S. News and World Report examine alumni giving in their determination of the best colleges and universities in the country, as they equate alumni participation with a happy and supportive alumni body. Further, many corporations and foundations examine alumni giving when making funding decisions.

How Does the University Raise Annual Fund Money?
The institution relies on a combination of direct mail, e-mail, telephone, and personal solicitation to meet its Annual Fund targets each year. Annual Fund volunteers play a vital role in all of these approaches by drafting and signing appeal letters, placing phone calls, and making visits on behalf of their alma mater.  The Annual Fund Committee is the chief volunteer group charged with overall responsibility for the Annual Fund. To find out more about the Annual Fund Committee and the Annual Fund, please contact the class agent for your class year:

Westbrook College Class Connections
St. Francis College and UNE Class Connections

How Does the University Recognize Donors?
In order to recognize the generosity of alumni, family and friends who make gifts in support of the institution’s operations each year, UNE has established various leadership societies. Gifts of $1,000 or more offer membership in the University's President's Circle and can be designated for a scholarship named by the donor with award preferences determined by the donor. Leadership societies include:

Benefactors	$10,000 or more
Chairman's Society	$5,000 - $9,999
Trustee's Society	$2,500 - $4,999
President's Circle	$1,000 - $2,499
Decary/Tower/Dean's Society	$500 - $999
St. Francis/Westbrook/Fellow's Society	$250 - $499
Century Club/Society of Osteopathic Physicians	$100 - $249

What are the Ways I Can Give to the Annual Fund?
Most people associate giving to the Annual Fund with the act of writing a check. Although this is certainly the most popular way to make a gift, alternate ways exist as well.

Credit Card and Debit Card Gifts
You may make an annual fund gift online with your VISA, Mastercard, American Express or Discover Card. You may also call UNE and Westbrook College Campus's Annual Fund line, (207) 221-4914  to charge your gift to your VISA, MasterCard, American Express or Discover card.

Gifts of Appreciated Securities
You can make a tax-wise gift by giving appreciated securities to the Annual Fund. By giving appreciated stock, shares of mutual funds, or bonds, you will receive a deduction for the full fair market value of the security on the day it is transferred and will not be liable for any capital gain contained in the security. For more information about transferring securities to UNE and Westbrook College Campus, call Laura Gebhart at (207) 221-4374.

Volunteer
Time is another valuable resource that can be given to the Annual Fund. You can volunteer to work with the Alumni Office, assist with Annual Fund raising efforts, admissions recruitment efforts or even as a mentor for career services. To learn more, contact the Alumni Advancement Office at (207) 221-4914.