The ABC's of fundraising at UGA

Photo illustration by Meg Twomey




Meg Twomey
10.19.09

A(rch Foundation): the official fundraising arm of the University. Incorporated in 2005.

B(uildings): Money from private donors helped pay for the erection of the Main Library. In recent years, that money has helped fund the recent Pharmacy school addition.

C(harter Scholarships): These are merit-based scholarships of $1,000 per year, usually awarded to the top five percent of the incoming freshman class.

D(onations…duh): This is the bread and butter of the Office of Development, the division of External Affairs that is responsible for most fundraising.

E(state Taxes): Estate taxes are exempt in many cases when someone bequeaths their estate to the University, which makes them more appealing for donors.

F(oundations): They also work with other charitable foundations to obtain research grants and more funding for faculty and student research projects. In 2009, Dan Colley, a professor of microbiology, received $18 million from the Gates Foundation to continue his research on schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease.

G(eorgia Fund): Another fundraising arm of the University. Works with the Arch Foundation and the Department of External Affairs.

H(eritage Society): This group honors donors who have bequeathed things or money to the University in their wills or in planned gifts.

I(RS): One important component of the Office of Development’s role is to understand tax laws and determine how donors can give as much to the University, while having to pay the least amount of taxes.

J(ournals and testimonies): This is what donors enjoy seeing the most, according to sources at the Office of Development. So their newsletters and Web sites emphasize the testimonials.

K(aiser Foundation): Like the Gates Foundation, External Affairs has also worked with the Kaiser Foundation to establish a Kaiser Permanente Health Disparities Graduate Fellowship in the College of Public Health. They received a $150,000 grant for this purpose.

L(andrum, Tom): The Senior Vice President for External Affairs. His office is located in the Administration Building.

M(illedge Center): Location of the Office of Development. 394 S. Milledge Ave.

N(eed Based Scholarships): Although some of the notable scholarships are merit-based, the office also gives out need-based scholarships to many students.

O(ne third): Direst state support only accounts for about one-third of UGA’s annual operating budget. The rest comes from private support.

P(hone campaign): Student callers reach more than 100,000 alumni through a successful telephone campaign.

Q(uestions?): Still have questions about the Office of Development or External Affairs. Check out the websites at http://www.externalaffairs.uga.edu/development/ea_about.html or http://www.externalaffairs.uga.edu/

R(ecent grads): The Office of Development tries to get graduates to start donating as soon as possible. However, recent grads are the hardest group to appeal to. Less disposable income as well as frequent moves makes it difficult for the office to get donations from this group, but they are working to change this.

S(enior signature): This popular fundraiser allows graduating seniors to donate $35 or more. They then have their name engraved on a plaque that hangs in the Tate plaza.

T(ravel monies): The Department also helps fund student groups who need to travel for competitions or conventions as well as faculty trips for research.

U(niversity Partners): These are donors whose annual gifts total $2,500 or more. $1,000 of this must go towards the President’s Venture Fund.

V(enture Fund): This is a fund that, at President Adam’s discretion, supports projects both large and small. Much of the money is used for special situations that are hard to budget or account for. Often this is deals with large grant opportunities that require a match of University dollars.

W(eird gifts): The Office of Development will take anything that donors are willing to give. Real estate, art, and collectibles are just some things that the University has been given.

eX(ternal Affairs): The University office that oversees the Office of Development, the major fundraising group. External Affairs also oversees alumni relations, the career center, and most things that deal with the “outside world.”

Y(ounger donors): While older donors tend to donate more, the Office of Development is trying to recruit more younger donors. The Parents and Families Association, which is for parents of current UGA undergrads, encourages people to start donating earlier. The Student Alumni Association also recruits donors while they are students in hopes that they will continue to give after they graduate.

Z(zzzzzzz): It might be sort of boring, but fundraising efforts by the Office of External Affairs paid for a lot of things students use every day.