4 Ways to Maximize Your Alumni Giving

Over the last few months we've heard from dozens of Stillmanites and found that many alumni aren’t giving back to our Alma Mater because they don’t know how to. So we launched an online donation center, we’ve gathered tips to donating, and we’ve broken it all down into four key steps -- not just in getting started, but in maximizing each contribution. Here are the tips:

1. Donate to your favorite program – We all spend money on what we care about. When donating to Stillman, focus on what you love. If it’s band, designate your donations to band scholarships or instruments. If it’s the choir, designate your donations to choir events and the annual tour. If it’s football or other athletic programs, donate towards scholarships, game travel, uniforms, coaches, or any other part of the program. You can always contribute to the “Annual Fund” which is the catch-all for each program and the basic operations at Stillman. However, if you want a specific program to reap the benefits of your contribution, just write-it-in when you donate online at www.stillmanalumni.org/donate.

2. Join a group effort – Each year the National Alumni Association of Stillman College (NAASC) donates more than $10,000 to the school. This contribution is a joint effort of more than ten alumni chapters across the U.S. The chapters make a pledge and hold fundraising activities in their region before merging with other chapters and making one large donation to the College. Other groups, like the Stillman Action Network, also make collective donations. You can join or start a local alumni chapter, affinity group – like greek alumni chapters – or you can team up with close friends who match your giving and contribute equally.

3. Capitalize on year-end tax deductions -- DID YOU KNOW? --> Stillman is a 501(c)(3) organization and your gifts & donations to the institution are tax-deductible. This means, the more you give prior to Dec. 31, the more you can include as tax write-offs in January.  Donations charged to a credit card before the end of 2015 count for 2015. This is true even if the credit card bill isn’t paid until 2016. Also, checks count for 2015 as long as they are mailed in 2015. All checks should be mailed to:

Stillman College Business Office

3601 Stillman Blvd.

Tuscaloosa, AL35401

4. Make monthly/recurring donations -- Whether it’s $100 annually or $25 a month, set a goal and use scheduled giving to meet it. Start by logging on to www.stillmanalumni.org/donate, and clicking “Make Recurring Donation.”  This allows you to make automatic monthly donations so you can skip the hassle and stay on track with your pledge.

Bonus: Make plans to attend Homecoming and alumni meetings to learn about key donor areas Each year the NAASC hosts a “State of the College” meeting with the College President to learn about achievements and areas of focus for our Alma Mater. This year we learned that our residence halls need immediate attention and restoration efforts. Based on that info, each alum can plan to continue making contributions in their focus area or streamline their donations to our target area: the residence halls.

Each of these tips can help our alumni and Alma Mater get the most out of our collective giving efforts. While we are well on our way to making 2016 our biggest alumni contribution year to date, it's the perfect time to take the first step: getting started. -- www.stillmanalumni.org/donate