Class Committee Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Outreach Guide

Making the Ask

Responses or Objections

Donor Recognition

Giving Opportunities

BAF Multi-Year Pledges

Ever True Sustainers

Class Committee Specific Resources

Class Committee Volunteering 101

Additional Class Based Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Consider these questions and responses when discussing the Brown Annual Fund with your assignments.

Why support the Brown Annual Fund (BAF)?

The Brown Annual Fund is the primary vehicle for current-use support–it is put to use immediately advancing the University’s highest priorities, including financial aid, faculty support, and the student experience. A family of funds, donors can give through The Brown Fund, as well as the Athletics Annual Fund, targeted opportunities within several Impact Funds, and several professional schools funds.
The Brown Annual Fund keeps us competitive with peers with larger endowments: a $25k to BAF is worth $500K in endowment! (This is based on average yield from the endowment: an investment of $500k in the endowment yields about 5% in a given year.)
The Brown Annual Fund is a gift from our generation to the current generation of Brunonians.

What makes people say “Yes”?

Self-reflection: Gratitude for what they received from Brown; recognition that their Brown experience was enhanced by alumni support; a desire to make that possible for today’s students.
Affiliation: The desire to be part of a meaningful effort by the class; a sense of competition; peer pressure.
Self-interest: Elevating Brown elevates all of us; an investment in the Brown “brand.”
Specific opportunities: Thresholds and milestones; challenge gifts that increase their impact.
Concrete impact: Most people want to know where their dollars are going! Try discussing the specific impact their gift can make on Brown (i.e. “a gift to the Pathways to Diversity and Inclusion Impact Fund directly supports the LGBTQ Center”).

How to begin the gift conversation?

“Can you believe it has been XX years since we graduated from Brown? I am working with our peers and Brown to set new records for the Brown Annual Fund and show that our class is committed to supporting Brown every year."
Ask about your classmate’s time at Brown and if they will be attending any upcoming Brown virtual events.

What do I need to know for the gift conversation?

Prepare for your conversation and track your outreach using the Brown Fundraising Volunteer Portal – With this secure, web-based tool, you can learn more about your assigned classmate’s time at Brown, their past Brown Annual Fund giving, and important biographical information. You can email the classmate from in the Portal, using high-quality templates provided by your volunteer manager, or draft your own. Emails are automatically documented, so you can track your progress and see when your classmate makes their gift, and your volunteer manager can cheer you on and recognize your efforts to other volunteers in your class. The Portal also has a handy notes feature, which you can use to document gift conversations, including phone calls, virtual or in-person visits, and follow-up emails, as well as helping Brown keep up to date on your classmates by submitting updated biographical information.
Know the current progress – Let people know about upcoming thresholds (e.g. beating a previous class, crossing the halfway point, etc.) or challenges to motivate them to give now.
Consider your personal reasons for giving – Sharing your reasons for giving and the passion you have for Brown is the best way to motivate your peers to join you in making a gift.
Ask for a specific amount (but use your discretion) – based on what you’re hearing during the call and the information you’ve reviewed in the Volunteer Portal or received from your staff liaison, make your ask as specific and appropriate as you can.
Remind people about splitting their gifts over two tax years – The ask can be made in the fall, with the first payment by December 31 and final payment by June 30, and by taking advantage of employer matching gifts

Outreach Guide

Making the Ask

Convey why it’s important to support Brown

“Alumni support enhanced our experience while we were in school.”
“We are all beneficiaries of Brown’s growing reputation by association.”
“We have a responsibility to provide the University with the resources it needs to compete and continue to improve. In this way, we are investing in our own degrees and Brown’s future.”
“We want to show the Brown community that the class of XXXX shows up and backs Brown each and every year!”

2. Discuss how the Brown Annual Fund can make a real impact on a specific facet of the University.

Each Brown Annual Fund impact fund supports a specific University priority.
Impact Funds offer targeted philanthropic opportunities that allow donors to give directly to areas that align with their interests.
Impact funds include Campus Sustainability, BrownConnect, Pathways to Diversity and Inclusion, and the IPC BAF Scholarship.

3. Legitimize yourself as a fellow donor to get buy-in.

“I would not be asking without first having given my own gift.”
“In recognition of how important this is, I have committed to being a consistent supporter of the Brown Annual Fund.

4. Make the Ask! Put the target ask amount out there. This starts the negotiation from a position of strength.

“I wouldn’t be doing my job as a volunteer if I didn’t ask if you could make a $[Target Ask] gift.”
“Will you consider joining the Brown Annual Fund giving community with a gift of $[Target Ask]?”

Responses or Objections

Respond thoughtfully when you hear what your classmate has to say.

If they say “Yes” – FANTASTIC!

Thank them for their support!
Advise them on their giving options, including ways to make their gift.
Ask them if their employer matches gifts. Encourage them to contact their company’s personnel or human resources office to determine if their employer, or spouse’s employer, has a matching gift program. They can also check here to confirm whether their employer will match their gift.
Your staff liaison will alert you when the gift is received. Please send another thank you.

If they say “No” – Allow this to be an opportunity to meaningfully address their reasons.

“My child/sibling was rejected.”

“Where did they end up going? How has their experience been there?”
“As you know, Brown is extremely competitive. There were over 36,000 applicants for approximately 2,500 spots in each first year class. The decisions become especially difficult and many extremely qualified applicants do not get accepted.”
Consider redirecting: “Did you benefit from your time at Brown?”

“My family and I are having a difficult time right now due to job change/loss, student loan debt, home improvement costs, etc.”

“I am so sorry to hear that. Your support of the Brown Annual Fund, regardless of the amount, is important. Our priority is not how much you give, but encouraging the act of giving. Alumni participation of any amount has a measurable impact on the University, including enhancing our bond rating and US News & World Report rankings.”
“Can I follow up later in the year to see how you are doing?”

“I prefer to give to ___________ (other priority at Brown, non-profit, cause, etc.).”

“This year, I hope the Annual Fund will be one of your philanthropic priorities as well.”
“It’s our turn to show our support for Brown. Alumni giving made our experience the best possible, so now it’s up to us to ensure that today’s best minds can come to Brown – teaching and learning.”

“I’m not sure my gift matters.”

“Did you have friends who received financial aid? What if there hadn’t been resources for them to be at Brown while you were there? Wouldn’t that have changed your experience?”
“What about beloved professors, whose passion changed the direction of your studies? What if they hadn’t been there?”

“Brown is too liberal” or “It’s not my old Brown.”

“Student attitudes do change from generation to generation, at Brown, as well as at other schools. But the core of the Brown you attended remains—an institution where talented undergraduates work with and learn from outstanding faculty. At Brown, there is room for all perspectives to be heard. Brown is a microcosm of the real world, where opinions vary and different points of views are appreciated.”

Donor Recognition

Each year, the Brown Annual Fund recognizes its philanthropic champions with membership in three main giving societies.

The 1764 Society celebrates those who contribute annually
The Carrie Tower Society honors those who offer their financial support at the highest levels
The College Hill Society recognizes those who have provided for Brown through gifts in their wills or life-income plans

Other recognition programs include Loyal Bears for athletics annual giving; the Dean’s Circle, for supporters of the Brown Medical Annual Fund; and Brown Family Fellows, for Brown parents and grandparents who support annual giving. Finally, supporters can become an Ever True Sustainer by making a commitment to give monthly, those donors are automatically included in the 1764 Society.

For more information visit https://alumni-friends.brown.edu/giving/donor-recognition

Giving Opportunities

BAF Multi-Year Pledges

In recognition of the many donors who make the Brown Annual Fund an annual philanthropic priority and to encourage donors to deepen their impact through the Fund by participating each and every year, the Fund enthusiastically accepts multi-year commitments of all sizes.

Benefits

Consistent stewardship each year
An opportunity to plan annual philanthropy with Brown
Earned membership in the 1764 Society (the Brown Annual Fund’s loyalty recognition society) after three years of pledge payments

Guidelines

There is no minimum or maximum gift amount for a multi-year commitment.
Carrie Tower Society donors are recognized at the level of their Brown Annual Fund cash received in the current fiscal year, not for the full amount of their multi-year commitment.
Brown Annual Fund commitments may be structured for payment across up to five fiscal years.
The commitment amount may vary from year to year. For example, a $50,000 commitment may be structured as follows:
- $30,000 in the Reunion year and $5,000 per year for the subsequent 4 years
- $10,000 per year for 5 years
- $25,000 per year for 2 years
- $50,000 in one year

Named Funds

A Named Brown Fund Scholarship is funded with a commitment of 4 or 5 years, at $25,000 or more per year (or $30,000 per year for an international student scholarship).
A Named Inman Page Black Alumni Council (IPC) Brown Annual Fund (BAF) Scholarship is funded with a commitment of 4 or 5 years, at $25,000 or more per year.
A Named Engineering Annual Fund Undergraduate Teaching Assistantship is funded with a commitment of 4 or 5 years, at $25,000 or more per year.
A Named Pathways to Diversity and Inclusion Fund is funded with a commitment of 4 or 5 years, at $25,000 or more per year.
A Named BrownConnect Internship (covering two or more students) is funded by making a minimum commitment of $20,000 per year for four or five years.

Volunteer Outreach

Volunteers are encouraged to ask for multi-year commitments to the Brown Annual Fund.
Ask for the one year commitment first, and then follow up by asking the potential donor to continue their support until the next Reunion.

Ever True Sustainers

Becoming an Ever True sustainer with a monthly recurring gift is an easy way for your assignments to maximize their personal philanthropic impact, and it provides a dependable level of support that our students can count on. Setting up a monthly gift on our secure online giving page is fast and easy, and as a recurring donor, they will receive special periodic updates demonstrating their impact. Once established, their recurring gift will run automatically, making their life-changing support of Brown entirely effortless.

Class Committee Specific Resources

Class Committee Volunteering 101

This recorded training meeting covers everything you need to know about the class committee volunteer role, including how to discuss the Annual Fund and how to use the Fundraising Volunteer Portal.