Donations?

[Kevin]

Who donates money to their HQ?

Who donates money to their chapter?

What would you say the distribution of your donations is? In other words, what percent goes to HQ, what percent goes to chapter?

[AOIIalum]

Depending on the season I volunteer anywhere from 5-20+ hours/week for AOII on the local level. Trust me, it's worth more than cold hard cash any day

I have donated plenty of gift items for recruitment giveaways, goodie bags, etc to my own collegiate chaper and to the local collegiate chapter(s) over the years. Couldn't tell you how much I've spent on these types of donation, though. When it comes to recruitment support, it's a lot easier to make a "stuff" donation than giving a "cash" donation! Now that our local alumnae chapter is active and official again, I'll be paying local alumnae dues and serving as a committee chair there (in addition to my other local AOII work).

I'm also a dues-paying member of our AOII Always program for alumnae. I also make a small annual monetary donation to our Foundation.

[dakareng]

I donate $$ to our Foundation.

I donate time and/or material gifts to my chapter. Maybe I've heard enough lectures from our Financial officers that I don't want to make the chapter treasurer's job more complex figuring out how to code it and make sure it doesn't put the "non-member income" too high for the IRS rules (yes, things *could* be 'under the table' but that is not something I want to encourage)... so buying the chapter gifts is just easier. When I was still living in the same city as my chapter, the alum club would take donations internally and then buy something big for the chapter (TV/ computer/ furniture).

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

I donate time to my chapter and money to our Foundation and our Crescent Catchers. And of course time at an international level too.

[Kevin]

Since I started the thread, here's what I do..

I have an automatic draft on my bank account of $10/month that goes to our HQ's general fund to retire their debt on the IHQ property. Not a major amount, but it's not like I miss it.

As for my chapter, during Rush, I slip the Recruitment Chair a $20 about every time I see him. No telling how much I've given away there

As for time, I'm a chapter advisor and serve in several capacities (we have an advisory board). I'm the financial advisor as well as the advisor for the Honor Council (J-Board). I also serve as Recorder and newsletter editor for the Alumni Chapter.

[Tom Earp]

ktsnake, you are to modest, but I think a lot of people do the same thing and I know We wish there were more.



I normaly dont donate to IHQ even though I have in the past.

I donate in other was as many do. Last year at Founders Day, I donated a lot of items for the Auction, the first that we have done.

I donate to the Chapter for LXA Great North American Food Drive, the largest in the country.

Last weekend, I along with another Brother Bought all of the food for the recruitment BBQ.

I go down several times a year as am also on the Housing Corp. The Building Committee and Alum Group.

I have placed in my will that all of my assests will go to the Fraternity. No Kids, No Wife.

I guess it is a living will so to speak. I found out when I was in Indy for G A, that anyone who does that will be listed on a wall area. Figure What the hell, I will go down in infamy some where!

For you new Alums. remember what your Greek Organization ment to you and never forget them!

how do you go about asking for donations...or should we wait for them to donate

since we just started we have to alumni's

some of the girls were thinking of sending a letter with options on where they would like their donations to go like recruitment, socials or travel expenses

but i don't want to be rude...so how do i do this?

[winneythepooh7]

Originally posted by PoohsHoneyBee
how do you go about asking for donations...or should we wait for them to donate

since we just started we have to alumni's

some of the girls were thinking of sending a letter with options on where they would like their donations to go like recruitment, socials or travel expenses

but i don't want to be rude...so how do i do this?

Hey you Since your chapter is fairly new, the best advice I can give you is to start great relations with your alumnae NOW!!! There is nothing more annoying then NEVER hearing from the undergrad chapter and then randomly getting hit up for donations. If you actively keep your alumnae involved through regular contact throughout each and every semester, I think it will be much easier for the alumnae to be willing to donate to the chapter. I don't think it's rude to request money from alumnae especially because many of us are in the position to give SOMETHING (even if it's just $20.00). I know there are threads about this though and I do think it's rude when you never hear from people and then get hit up for money (sorority or otherwise). Alumnae understand and remember what it was like back in the day, so that shouldn't be a huge issue. What I suggest to all undergrad GLO's is even if they simply send out a newsletter via email several times a year (since stamps and printing is very expensive for chapters) this is better then nothing.

Originally posted by winneythepooh7
Hey you Since your chapter is fairly new, the best advice I can give you is to start great relations with your alumnae NOW!!! There is nothing more annoying then NEVER hearing from the undergrad chapter and then randomly getting hit up for donations. If you actively keep your alumnae involved through regular contact throughout each and every semester, I think it will be much easier for the alumnae to be willing to donate to the chapter. I don't think it's rude to request money from alumnae especially because many of us are in the position to give SOMETHING (even if it's just $20.00). I know there are threads about this though and I do think it's rude when you never hear from people and then get hit up for money (sorority or otherwise). Alumnae understand and remember what it was like back in the day, so that shouldn't be a huge issue. What I suggest to all undergrad GLO's is even if they simply send out a newsletter via email several times a year (since stamps and printing is very expensive for chapters) this is better then nothing.

Thanks for the advice!

We do keep close tabs, I still see them everyone and one is scheduled to marry in November. So, that will be fun.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by PoohsHoneyBee
how do you go about asking for donations...or should we wait for them to donate

since we just started we have to alumni's

some of the girls were thinking of sending a letter with options on where they would like their donations to go like recruitment, socials or travel expenses

but i don't want to be rude...so how do i do this?

Your alums are your best fundraisers. They need to lead by example of course. For example, our Alumni Chapter President will always put something in the newsletter that says "Join me in donating...." And, despite the fact that there are definitely alums that make more $ than he does, he probably has donated far more than any of us have.

Keep in mind, we received our charter in '02, so we're probably in a similar situation.

Also, when an alum donates, they want to see results. So show the alums what you can do with that $. In our case, the alumni chapter basically controls all donations and ensures that they go where we think they should -- like x amount to scholarships, x amount to the building fund, etc.

We've also received a lot of help from area alums of our fraternity who have since affiliated with our chapter. Recently, a couple of them bankrolled a VERY nice recruitment video complete with digital effects, etc.. which our actives will pass out to prospectives during Recruitment.

[Tom Earp]

Again ktsnake is right.

jono who is on site for BN Zeta is President of the Chapter Alum Assoc. at FIT.

They have I beleive a $25.00 years Alum Dues. Some give more as ktsnake said and some do not give at all.

But, with this money, they gave $500.00 to each member of the Chapter that wanted to attend our General Assembly. They had 4 Brothers there.

Oh yes, a little can go a long way especially if a lot of Alums donate.

For those that have few Alums as ktsmakes Chapter does, it gets it ingrained in them. They donate, it halps the Active Chapter, or puts out a news letter for Alums about events for getting together and having a good time. Remember, that is what being a Brother/Sister is all about. Remembering and talking and who is doing what. Marriage, kids and jobs.

[KSigkid]

I was an advisor for a year - as far as time I donated a few hours a week to helping out with things, especially helping the secretary out with his duties, and talking to the President every couple of weeks.

At this year's alumni weekend, I'll probably give some money. I'd like to do it every year from now on.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally posted by PoohsHoneyBee
how do you go about asking for donations...or should we wait for them to donate

since we just started we have to alumni's

some of the girls were thinking of sending a letter with options on where they would like their donations to go like recruitment, socials or travel expenses

but i don't want to be rude...so how do i do this?

Our House Corporation Board sent chapter alumnae a letter a fewe years ago telling them what was happening and asking them to donate to a specific thing, in our case living room furniture and the response was great. Most people will give if they are asked, they just have to know what it's going to be used for.

[AOIIalum]

Originally posted by SmartBlondeGPhB
Our House Corporation Board sent chapter alumnae a letter a fewe years ago telling them what was happening and asking them to donate to a specific thing, in our case living room furniture and the response was great. Most people will give if they are asked, they just have to know what it's going to be used for.

Do you happen to have a copy of that letter you'd be willing to share (either here or via PM/email?)

[AGDee]

We have an option on our expense reports (for the volunteers) to donate our money back to the Foundation instead of being reimbursed directly and I started doing that last year. Since you've already spent the money, you don't seem to miss it when you don't get reimbursed for the phone calls, mileage, or whatever. It adds up throughout the year, especially if you travel.

As for the chapter, our alumnae club has been making bid day bags for a few of the chapters each year and I donate things for those. I contribute to all of the fundraisers we do as an alumnae club. I can't afford to give too much, as a single mom.

I donate between 2 and 5 hours a week to being a province director. I can afford time more easily than money!

If I ever win the lotto though... endowed scholarships, big money to the Foundation (as well as a bunch of other charities).

Dee