Cornell Annual Fund FAQ
How do I make my gift?The quickest way would be to use our secure giving form. For more details, including how to make gifts of stock or where to learn more about putting Cornell in your will, please see our Ways to Give page. If you are writing a check, please make sure to write the check out to "Cornell University." Can I designate my gift to a specific part of Cornell?Gifts to the Cornell Annual Fund provide unrestricted support for Cornell, which allows the University to put funds to use wherever the need is greatest. You can designate your gift to any of the following colleges and units listed on the Annual Fund pledge card:
However, you are welcome to designate your gift to any area of Cornell. To designate your gift on our online giving page, please click on the first drop-down menu, titled "gift designation," and click on the college or unit to which you'd like to direct your gift. Then, click on the second drop-down menu, titled "to support" to select the Cornell Annual Fund. What is the matching gift program?Contact your Human Resources office to see if your organization matches charitable gifts to Cornell. If so, they can provide you with the form(s) you need to fill out and send to P.O. Box 2600, Ithaca, NY 14851. If your employer offers a matching gift program you may be able to double or even triple your gift to Cornell! Will my gift be eligible for tax credit?Yes. Official receipts will be issued. What is Cornell's tax ID number? Cornell's tax ID number is 150532082. Will my gift count toward my class?All gifts made to Cornell will count toward your class' charitable totals. (There are sometimes special recognition efforts for reunion-year campaigns, so please contact us if you would like more information about your class reunion campaign effort.) What is the difference between making a gift and paying class or club dues?You can pay your class dues at http://www.alumni.cornell.edu/classes.cfm or by contacting the Alumni Affairs Office at 607.255.4850. Giving a gift is separate from paying class dues. The Office of Alumni Affairs relies on dues-paying alumni and association members to help finance events and programs for classes each year. A year's subscription to the Cornell Magazine is also included in your class dues. When does the Cornell Fund ask for support?Cornell's fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. The Cornell Annual Fund cycle coincides with the University's fiscal year. Solicitations begin in early September and end in early June. How often will I be contacted?We send three to four direct-mail appeals each year, and alumni volunteer and student phonathon programs attempt to reach as many individuals as possible. Once you make a Cornell Annual Fund gift, you are removed from the solicitation schedule. Making your gift by December 31 is a great idea: it provides a year-end tax advantage for you, and Cornell saves the cost of sending you additional mailings. It seems like Cornell has a lot of money already. Will my gift make a difference?Yes. Unrestricted gifts to the Cornell Annual Fund provide the greatest flexibility for each college or program to meet its most pressing needs. Your gifts are a significant, and vital, source of support. Deans and directors spend $13 million in annual funds each year to meet critical priorities. It would take an additional $325 million in Cornell's endowment to fund that spending. And remember, 75 percent of unrestricted gifts to Cornell are $250 or less. Every gift does count! Where Does A Cornell Annual Fund Dollar Go?
Is the Cornell Foundation the same as the Cornell Annual Fund?The Cornell Annual Fund is where annual, unrestricted support can be given to meet the greatest current needs at Cornell. The Cornell Foundation is a special designation within the Office of Gift Planning that allows you to give to a donor-advised fund, which can be designated at a later date. For more information about the Cornell Foundation, please contact the Office of Gift Planning at 1-800-481-1865. |
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