Common Questions about the Annual Fund

How often will I be contacted by Stephens for a Annual Fund donation?

Alumnae, parents and friends are contacted approximately every six weeks via direct mail. In the fall and/or spring, you may receive a phone call from the calling company that represents the College. Some alumnae have asked why a professional calling company contacts them for a donation rather than a Stephens student. The answer is that we do not have the staffing required to provide oversight and management for a program of this magnitude. The volume of calls during the fall and spring calling sessions number in the thousands and require many full and part-time callers to successfully implement this program. Some colleges and universities have entire departments devoted to calling.

Please do not refuse to support the College because you do not hear directly from a Stephens College student.

Some of you who donate to the Annual Fund may continue to receive direct mail during the fiscal year in which you donated, or you may receive a call in the spring or fall. There are several reasons for this. First, many alumnae prefer to hear from and give to the College more than one time per year. Multiple direct mailings and/or more than one call per year allow them the opportunity to do so.

Second, the system utilized by the Office of Development and Alumnae Relations to record and track alumnae giving information cannot adequately process data that will tell us when and how you would like to hear from the College. This inhibits our abilities to customize alumna solicitation methods based on each alumna's preference.

We are currently in the planning phase of the development of an alumna-preferred solicitation database. In the future, you will have an opportunity to let us know how you prefer to be contacted by the College.

When is the best time to give to the Annual Fund?

Your support of the Annual Fund is welcome at any time; however, the best time to give is early in the fiscal year. The College’s fiscal year runs from June 1st to May 31st. A strong Annual Fund early in the fiscal year is crucial as it provides a gauge by which to plan for the end of the year. This can mean a cost-savings in the volume of direct mail sent and the number of calls that must be made to alumnae and friends of the College. If you cannot give early in the fiscal year, please submit your gift before May 31st so that it may be counted as a gift in the current fiscal year. Even if you miss the May 31st deadline, please send your donation and it will be applied to the new fiscal year.

The Stephens College fiscal year runs from June 1st through May 31st.

How does reunion/class giving impact the Stephens College Annual Fund?

Alumnae have the opportunity to return to campus every five years and reunite with other class members on the five-year anniversaries of their graduations. The Reunion Year Challenge was created to honor these milestones. This challenge represents one of the best opportunities for classes to give to the Annual Fund and it is important to rally support for this challenge as your class prepares for reunion. Classes are recognized during reunion for the most dollars contributed during the reunion year, the highest reunion class giving percentage, and the largest percentage of reunion attendance.

What kind of gift can I make to the Renaissance Fund?

There are numerous types of gifts that can be made to the Annual Fund. Gifts that are not restricted in use give Stephens the flexibility to meet current challenges and opportunities. Unrestricted gifts can be the most valuable to the campus.

• Cash
• Securities (stocks, bonds, and mutual fund shares)
• Personal Property or Equipment
• Real Property
• Insurance

What are the tax benefits of a gift to the Renaissance Fund?

A gift to Stephens qualifies as a charitable contribution and is tax-deductible to the extent provided by law.