Giving to Reed

Reed was founded on the bequest of Amanda Reed, and generous donors have nurtured Reed and the college’s students since the first day of classes in 1911. Through the years, thousands of donors have provided support for one of the finest and most distinctive educational programs in the country. With this collective and remarkable philanthropy, the idea for a different and more genuine and effective education in the liberal arts and sciences has become a reality and a notable symbol for intellectual exploration.

Reed aspires to offer a challenging—even transformational—education to talented students regardless of their families’ financial resources. For this reason, the college has not sought to link tuition revenues with the cost of college programs.

Students paying full tuition today do not even fully fund the cost of their education. We rely on past philanthropists whose gifts created the endowment, and many gifts of all sizes to the Annual Fund, to cover a substantial portion of our expenses each year. The annual operating budget is composed of (approximately)

• 61% tuition;
• 32% endowment income;
• 7% Annual Fund and other income.

Many students can enroll only because of the college’s commitment to need-based financial aid. Reed is now awarding approximately $40 million in aid every year to meet 100 percent of the demonstrated need for all admitted students.

When donors give to Reed, their funds join a collection of gifts that sustain generations of excellent academic work and create a new foundation of support for Reed’s current students.

Ultimately, reasons for giving are as individual as Reedies. When asked why they give to Reed, donors often cite the following:

• They believe in Reed College and its mission to provide the best liberal arts education in the country.
• They understand that without their financial support, Reed could not provide the same rigorous academics, small classes, and overall excellence that it does today.
• They want to support the programs, people, and campus life that give Reed its unique character.
• They want to help students who would not otherwise be able to attend Reed.
• They have a deep emotional connection to Reed and want other people to share in and grow from the experience that was meaningful for them.
• They were asked to give and feel compelled to support an institution they love.
• They see Reed as a worthy cause.

The impact of generous giving can be found everywhere. In fact, the college was founded with a gift: Amanda Reed’s bequest set this community of scholars in motion over a century ago.

All gifts to the college make a difference. In one case, a group of current students might contribute what they can to create the annual Reedies for Reedies scholarship; in another, a group of alumni might come together to establish an endowed professorship. Individual gifts work together to tangibly benefit students. Other gifts have endowed student research funds or provided needed capital to complete new construction on campus.

The impact of some gifts can be seen easily: the Performing Arts Building and the new computer science program were made possible through philanthropy. The impact of other gifts is harder to discern but no less important: half of the student body would not be able to attend without help from generous financial aid donors. In the end, all gifts make a difference.

A gift to the Annual Fund is the best way to immediately benefit current students and support the entire college. Annual Fund gifts are put to use as soon as they are received, either as financial aid or to support priorities such as faculty and instruction, student life, diversity initiatives, or any of the other critical daily operations that make Reed the transformative, rigorous place that it is.

Gifts to the Annual Fund can be made

• online;
• by mailing a check to the college;
• over the phone by calling 503-777-7573

There are various ways to make an Annual Fund gift more meaningful. A gift will go further by establishing it as a recurring monthly gift, rather than making it a one-time donation. Establishing a recurring monthly gift not only provides a stable and reliable revenue source for Reed, it reduces fundraising costs and allows a donor to give a larger gift in smaller increments.

There are many other ways for you to support Reed, from securing matching funds from your employer, to creating a bequest or other estate gift. Find the option that works best for you on our gift planning page.

The Annual Fund raises funds for both financial aid and unrestricted support—unrestricted funds allow Reed the flexibility to add support where need is greatest.

• Financial Aid: Your Annual Fund gifts sustain Reed’s commitment to meet 100% of the demonstrated need of all admitted students.
• Academic Program: Your gifts benefit student and faculty research, curriculum development, faculty salaries, library acquisitions, classroom technology, and student resources.
• Student Life and Alumni Programs: Your gifts support robust career advising to connect students with jobs and internships, wellness programs to keep current students healthy and happy, and alumni programming such as Reunions and Reed Magazine.
• Campus Facilities: Your gifts provide funding for lab equipment, classroom technology, campus maintenance, groundskeeping, and canyon restoration.

From an institutional standpoint, consistent giving provides predictable financial stability for the college and allows Reed to support the continuing and new initiatives that are a part of each year’s annual operating budget. A broad base of alumni donors making generous yearly gifts unites the whole community in a common effort to sustain and nurture an intense focus on a single goal: to provide a superb education in the liberal arts and sciences.

From a donor perspective, consistent giving is powerful. Everyone has far more power to support the institution than they think. By simply making a gift every year, instead of every once in a while, donors may be surprised by the extent to which they will support the college financially over time. It’s not exactly compounding interest, but the impact of giving consistently is far reaching. Keith Allen ’83 undertook an analysis of alumni giving patterns. He found that consistency and current-giving status are two factors that have enormous impact on Reed's fundraising potential, on the financial health of the college, and on the quality of the educational program that is provided to students.

Your gifts to Reed possess a leveraging power that extends beyond their dollar value. When the whole Reed community embraces the college as a philanthropic cause, and members make giving to Reed a priority according to their financial means, then each person’s commitment inspires and undergirds generosity from others.

Reed is registered as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization by the IRS. Contributions to Reed are fully tax-deductible to the amount allowed by law and your gift receipt meets the IRS requirements as a record of donation. Reed’s tax ID number is 93-0386908.

Reed's fiscal year runs from July 1 of one calendar year to June 30 of the next calendar year.

It’s easy to give with cash, check, credit card, wire transfer, stock transfer, and more. Learn more about payment methods and gift planning options.

Gifts of stocks, bonds, and mutual fund shares are a popular way to support Reed and can offer special tax benefits for donors. Learn how to make a gift of stock or securities to Reed.

Reed cannot accept donations through PayPal at this time. You can make a gift online through our secure website or give by mail or telephone. In addition, Reed can accept gifts of stock.

Yes! Add up all your gifts to Reed and other Oregon cultural organizations from the calendar year and make a matching gift to the Oregon Cultural Trust by December 31. Claim your 100% tax credit when you file your Oregon tax return. The "identify" code for the Oregon Cultural Trust is 722. Your entire contribution to the Oregon Cultural Trust—up to $500 for individuals, $1000 for couples filing jointly or $2,500 for Oregon corporations—qualifies for the tax credit.

What is a tax credit? Unlike a tax deduction that only reduces the amount of your taxable income, a tax credit reduces the amount of tax you owe. Your gift to the Oregon Cultural Trust will reduce your Oregon Income Tax bill dollar for dollar (up to $500 for individuals, $1,000 for couples filing jointly, and $2,500 for Oregon corporations).

Gifts to Reed from a resident of Canada are tax-deductible to the amount allowed by Canadian law. For more information, review the IRS Scope of Treaty (bottom of page 45).

The college encourages the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of charitable gifts in accordance with all applicable laws and policies. The Board of Trustees approved a gift acceptance policy that applies to all gifts to the college and is intended to offer a high-level governing policy and set of guiding principles.