2.2.1 Office of Annual and Special Giving

The Office of Annual and Special Giving (ASG) coordinates annual fund solicitations (typically $2,500 and under) on behalf of the University of Georgia, its schools, colleges, and other units. The UGA Foundation defines annual giving as all current gifts less than $10,000. The Georgia Fund is the fiscal year’s annual giving campaign for the UGA Foundation. Georgia Fund solicitations are generally conducted through direct marketing (mail, phone, e-mail, advertising, and special events). Georgia Fund gifts may be designated for a specific fund or used for unrestricted purposes. In order to provide the most effective program with both personnel and operating resources, the following policies apply:

  1. ASG will conduct phone campaigns on behalf of the schools, colleges, special units, and the general University. Priority and scheduling will be determined by ASG.
  2. ASG will honor requests for use of the UGA Calling Center by any school, college, or unit when submitted and approved by ASG subject to guidelines and compatibility within the overall fundraising plan.
  3. Fund-raising phone campaigns, unless approved by ASG, will not be conducted elsewhere on campus or through outside private or volunteer contractors.
  4. ASG will coordinate all direct marketing solicitations for the general support of UGA. Schools, colleges, and units should clear their direct marketing fund-raising solicitations through ASG to limit redundancy and confusion among prospects.
  5. ASG staff is available to work in a consulting role with schools, colleges, and units participating in direct marketing solicitations. ASG will advise on aspects of solicitation including copy writing, script development, layout, design, paper, printing, timing, adherence to postal regulations, and other UGAF standards.
  6. Schools, colleges, and units should provide ASG with samples of all direct marketing solicitations and respective backup data including total number of prospects, appeal tracking code, cost per piece, and postage costs.
  7. Upon request and when supplies are available, ASG may provide solicitation materials (pledge cards, return envelopes, gift processing forms, etc.) in limited quantities for school, college, and unit campaigns.
  8. Schools, colleges, and units will direct all data requests for solicitations lists to the UGAF Information Technology department.
  9. ASG will evaluate all known direct marketing solicitations for effectiveness, efficiency and overall quality. Periodic status reports will be provided to the appropriate school, college, or unit along with a detailed year-end analysis for use in suggesting enhancements for future efforts.
  10. ASG will charge all costs incurred on behalf of a school, college, or unit to those parties. Statements of these charges will be sent to the appropriate fund administrators.
  11. ASG will determine and publish the known annual solicitation schedules and strategies for all constituencies.

Giving programs are established to feature levels of support. The Office of Annual & Special Giving actively solicits gifts for the tiered Annual Presidents Club, the University Partners program, the Parents & Families Association, and Senior Signature, the graduating class gift program. The Office of Donor Relations oversees the majority of the actual recognition and stewardship activities associated with these special gift opportunities. 

Last Updated on June 21, 2019