 The Oberlin Alumni Fund :: FAQ
Gift Mechanics
I’d like to give to a specific program at Oberlin. How do I do that? Does that count for The Oberlin Alumni Fund?
Many programs and departments already have existing funds – in many cases, making your gift may be as simple as writing “Chemistry Department” or “Theater and Dance” on your pledge card or line c. of the online giving form. All departmental support funds, or program support funds like the Heisman Club, Friends of the Library, the senior class gift, or a contribution to the Artists Recital Series, are all restricted current-use gifts, designed to be used in the year in which they’re received for a specific purpose. Even though they are “restricted,” because they are for immediate use, those types of gifts all count as dollars given to The Oberlin Alumni Fund.
If the specific fund you have in mind is endowed (e.g. the Cemelli-Robertson Fund, the 1835 Fund), your gift will go to work for a specific purpose, but will not count as an Oberlin Alumni Fund gift. If you have any questions about whether or not the gift you have matches an existing fund or qualifies as an Oberlin Alumni Fund gift, please contact us: alumni.fund@oberlin.edu or 800-693-3167 toll-free.
Note that regardless of where you choose to make your gift, Oberlin will not ask you for a gift again after you have made a gift during a given fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).
Can I make monthly gifts?
Yes; you can easily make monthly gifts via our secure online gift form. You’ll also find a monthly giving option on The Oberlin Alumni Fund pledge card, sent out with all class agent mailings and in response to pledges made via the phoning program.
Do you take American Express or Discover?
As of January 2007, we now accept American Express cards, in addition to Visa and Mastercard, through our secure online gift form. We do not currently accept the Discover card.
I want to name Oberlin in my will – how can I do that?
Contact the Office of Gift Planning at 800-693-3167 or 440-775-8599 or gift.planning@oberlin.edu. They’ll be happy to assist you. For more details about making bequest gifts to Oberlin, click here.
I want to make a gift of stock – how can I do that?
Contact the Office of Gift Planning at 800-693-3167 or 440-775-8599 or gift.planning@oberlin.edu. They can provide you or your broker with the details needed to facilitate the transfer. Prior notice also allows Oberlin to more quickly and easily identify incoming gifts to ensure you receive proper credit. For more information on stock transfers, click here.
I want to make a gift in memory of someone. How do I do that?
Along with your gift, simply enclose a note letting us know that you’re making a memorial gift. If you know the family’s address, please send it along (many times, we have this information on file, but more information is always helpful). You will receive a gift acknowledgement, and the family will receive a note letting them know that you have made a gift in their loved one’s memory. You may also make your memorial gift online; the online giving form prompts you for all the necessary information.
I want to make a gift in honor of/on behalf of someone. How do I do that?
Along with your gift, simply enclose a note letting us know that you’re making a gift in honor of, or on behalf of, someone. If you know the person’s address (and you think we might not), please send it along (many times, we have this information on file, but more information is always helpful). You will receive a gift acknowledgement, and the individual will receive a note letting them know that you have made a gift in their honor. You may also make your gift online; the online giving form prompts you for all the necessary information.
Participation
I give my time to Oberlin; can I get gift credit for volunteering?
The IRS does not currently consider gifts of time tax-deductible. If prior arrangements are made with the college, honoraria or other fees paid to you may be gifted back to Oberlin for gift credit. If you arrange a regional event, you may also contact the Alumni Office about the possibility of using an expense waiver form to make a gift of costs incurred. Oberlin also welcomes certain types of gifts-in-kind; in the past, we have accepted gifts of art for the Allen Memorial Art Museum, and slides of brain tissue for the Neuroscience department. The value of each of these non-traditional gifts is set by the donor, often with the help of an outside appraiser – Oberlin is not permitted to determine the value of your Picasso sketch.
Can you explain how and when my giving counts for my reunion?
The reunion giving period for any class or cluster starts two years before the reunion; if you are celebrating your reunion in 2006, the reunion giving period started July 1, 2004, and will include all gifts made through January 31, 2007. All gifts to any purpose at Oberlin, whether to The Oberlin Alumni Fund or other programs, count for a class or cluster reunion total.
What does “participation” mean?
Participation is the percentage of alumni donors who give in any amount to Oberlin during a given fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). Higher participation directly affects Oberlin’s placement in the U.S. News & World Report college ranking because they use participation as a measure of alumni satisfaction.
Could you explain how the gifts from alumni spouses/partners/family members are counted?
Gift credit for gifts from alumni spouses and partners is split equally between both givers unless otherwise requested. If both are in a reunion cycle, any gifts made will be split equally between class gift totals.
Communication
How can I update my address in Oberlin's records?
The easist way is to log on to ObieWeb, Oberlin's online alumni community. You can update your personal information, including addresses, phone numbers, employment information, student mentoring choices, and more.
You can also e-mail your change of address to alumni.fund@oberlin.edu or send a note to The Oberlin Alumni Fund, 50 West Lorain Street, Oberlin, OH 44074. Please include either the seven-digit ID number on your alumni magazine mailing label and/or your old address; these pieces of information will help us make sure we have the right person when we update your record. You may also call us at (800) 693-3167 (toll-free in the U.S.) or (440) 775-8550.
I prefer not to receive solicitations by phone/mail/only get one solicitation a year – can you take me off that list?
You can e-mail your preference to alumni.fund@oberlin.edu or send a note to The Oberlin Alumni Fund, 50 West Lorain Street, Oberlin, OH 44074; we’ll put it in your file. Please include either the seven-digit ID number on your alumni magazine mailing label and/or your current mailing address; these pieces of information will help us make sure we have the right person when we update your record. You may also call us at (800) 693-3167 (toll-free in the U.S.) or (440) 775-8550. We generally send out our “You requested one solicitation a year – this is it” letter in the fall.
I'd like to get in touch with a classmate - can you help me?
Of course! The easiest way to get in touch with a classmate is to look them up in the Oberlin alumni community’s online directory under “Keep in touch” at http://www.oberlin.edu/alumni/. If you have an Oberlin Alumni Fund mailing handy, you can always send an ObieGram back to campus and we’ll forward your message on to the person you want to reach. You can also contact the Alumni Office or The Oberlin Alumni Fund directly at (800) 693-3167. For privacy reasons, when you contact Oberlin to request alumni information, we will share your information with the person you’re trying to reach and let them get in touch with you.
I'd like to get in touch with a professor - can you help me?
Contact the Alumni Office or The Oberlin Alumni Fund at (800) 693-3167; you also stand a good chance of locating an e-mail address for any current faculty member by browsing the online Fussers: http://www.oberlin.edu/fussers/ – links to departmental web pages and contact information are also available from that address.
About The Oberlin Alumni Fund
What is Oberlin Alumni Fund money used for?
Oberlin Alumni Fund donors direct their gifts to four broadly defined areas: Scholarships, Student Life, Teaching and Learning and the Area of Greatest Need. Within those areas, gift dollars are used to meet unexpected needs, provide budget relief and address the College and Conservatory’s highest priorities. For example, more than 85 percent of gift dollars directed to the Area of Greatest Need become scholarship dollars for Oberlin students each year.
What does "unrestricted" mean?
This is often explained as the “red-headed trombone player” dilemma. Some gifts have restrictions on who can receive them; for sentimental reasons, a donor may wish to provide a scholarship specifically for red-headed trombone players (or students from a particular town, or with a particular major). Even with more than 2700 students, the more specific the restrictions, the more likely it is that no student will meet the criteria for the red-headed trombone scholarship – and the money will sit unused until the next class matriculates and the search for an appropriate student begins anew.
Oberlin does two things to avoid this problem: first, we encourage donors to establish scholarships with the broadest possible selection criteria (“for a ‘needy and worthy student’”). We also encourage gifts without restrictions, like those made to The Oberlin Alumni Fund’s Area of Greatest Need. “Unrestricted” does not mean “goes anywhere” – it means that unrestricted Oberlin Alumni Fund gifts address the highest priorities of the College and Conservatory – scholarships, classroom resources, emergency maintenance. Gifts go where they are most needed at that time to maintain the quality of an Oberlin education.
How much does Oberlin spend on fund raising?
Fundraising costs vary by program (personal visits versus mailings or telephone calls), and by the type of donor being solicited (it takes a greater number of phone calls and mailings to convince a first-time annual fund donor to give than someone who has previously given). Many nonprofits are finding that they are raising more dollars from a smaller number of donors, and Oberlin is no exception. That said, we believe that every gift can make a difference for Oberlin students, and will continue to ask the greatest possible number of alumni and friends to support Oberlin. This page explains “the cost to raise a dollar,” a common fundraising benchmark, and this page provides a snapshot of Oberlin’s finances drawn from our IRS form 990.
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