Fundraising is an important part of the reunion tradition, when we stretch to make gifts above and beyond our ongoing annual giving to the Alumni Fund. Many of us make special larger-than-usual annual contributions to mark the reunion; some choose a multi-year unrestricted pledge to the Alumni Fund; and others make their usual annual gift plus a special contribution restricted to a purpose that matches their interests with Yale’s needs. All of these gifts count toward our reunion gift campaign.

Giving to Yale takes many forms in our reunion year. Here is a brief guide to help you understand the various appeals and what can be included in our reunion gift total.

• Annual Giving to the Alumni Fund: This is a yearly request for current use unrestricted gifts to Yale to provide immediately expendable support for the University’s daily operations, including valuable funding for the general categories of facilities renovations, faculty support and curriculum development, financial aid, library collections and undergraduate life. This annual appeal is made by one or more of the following: our Co-Chairs of Agents (Carol Lee and Judy Rivkin), a Class Agent, or a Bulldog Caller – a student from Yale’s phone center. If you make a multi-year annual pledge to the Alumni Fund (payable up to five years), the entire value of the pledge counts in full toward the reunion gift total and annual giving credit is given each year for the amount paid that year. It is hoped that everyone in our reunion year will make an annual gift, regardless of how you respond to other appeals. If you’ve never made an unrestricted annual gift to the Alumni Fund, this is the year to start!
  
  
• Capital Gifts: There are many different types of capital gifts, generally restricted in use. These match the donor’s interests with the University’s needs in exciting ways and may be directed to specific programs or projects, such as:
  
   — residential college renovations (including Pierson)
   — curriculum review initiatives
   — endowed scholarships
   — academic departmental support
   — Yale Bowl renovations
   — globalization programs
   — the Arts
   — summer travel funds
  
  Gifts of a certain size also afford donors special recognition opportunities. Gift Committee members and University staff may have these conversations with you. Capital contributions are another significant part of our reunion total.
  
  
• Other Special Appeals: From time to time, other groups organize appeals for particular purposes. Gifts made to Yale’s Associations, such as sports teams or singing groups, are recognized as capital gifts and included in our gift total.
  
  
• Appeals to Graduates of more than one Yale School: You may receive solicitations for annual and special campaign or reunion gifts from each of the constituencies with which you were affiliated. Most of these, too, are recognized in our gift total but do not replace annual giving to our Yale College Class.
  
  
• Quarter Century Fund or QCF: Gifts to the QCF, pledged during our senior year, were contributions made in anticipation of this 25th Reunion. All contributions and investment income will be recognized in aggregate and presented at reunion-time.
  
  
• Class Dues: Our Class solicits dues from each member to finance Class communications, events and activities (including our Yale Alumni Magazine subscriptions and our periodic reunions in New Haven). Though Class dues are tax deductible, they constitute contributions to the Class, NOT gifts to Yale itself, and Yale therefore cannot count Class dues in the reunion gift total.

Every dollar and every donor count. Participation in giving is a benchmark of alumni satisfaction and helps Yale attract corporate/foundation grants and recognition by national publications.

Please join us with a gift now!