FAQ | College of Education | Office of College Advancement

What is private support and how does it help the College of Education?

Private support includes gifts and grants given to the College by people (alumni, friends and families) and institutions (corporations, foundations and organizations). Our supporters are committed to helping us fulfill our mission to provide the best education possible.

While state support of UGA is generous (about 30 percent of our budget), taxpayers alone cannot sustain the excellence we expect of our school. We rely on support from our valued alumni, friends and corporate partners to keep the College of Education in the group of top education schools.

Why does my participation matter?

Alumni support raises the value of a College of Education degree. First and foremost, alumni gifts provide a valuable source of income that allows the College to address its most pressing needs and opportunities, increasing the quality of education we can offer.

But alumni support is also a significant factor in the annual rankings of education schools. It is one criterion by which schools are compared. By making a gift at some level to the College of Education, you increase the College’s alumni participation and directly affect its rankings.

All gifts to the College make a tremendous positive impact. All gifts, at every level, help to increase the value of a College of Education degree.

Why are unrestricted annual gifts important to the College of Education?

Unrestricted gifts to the College provide a necessary base of expendable and flexible revenue to support our core programs and initiatives. Flexible funds are our only hope to be nimble and responsive to new ideas and opportunities to meet the needs for world-class education. Unrestricted gifts can support excellence and innovation as no other source can. They enable the Dean to direct resources where they are needed most and to seize new opportunities as they arise.

The Georgia Fund provides the best source of flexible support for areas of greatest need and opportunity within the College.

Do all gifts to the Georgia Fund go into the same account?

No, the Georgia Fund is not a “fund” in that sense. Your gift to the Georgia Fund goes directly into the operating account of whatever area you specify. The Georgia Fund name refers instead to the overall program as a source of vital support for the College of Education.

Who decides where my Georgia Fund gift is used?

You do! Every gift goes exactly where the donor designates. Of course, you can choose to not restrict your gift at all, in which case it will go wherever the College of Education needs it most.

How much of my gift really goes there?

All of it. If you write a $100 check to your school, your school receives $100. Fundraising costs are a budgeted expense at the College of Education. We are dedicated to keeping fundraising costs down.

What areas does the Georgia Fund support?

The Georgia Fund exists to further the educational mission of the school. The departments within the College all benefit from the Annual Fund.

In what ways does the Georgia Fund support these areas?

The ways are as different as the areas themselves. Among other things, annual gifts can provide:

Program operating funds
Modern learning and teaching environments
Classroom equipment
Technology upgrades
Faculty support
Scholarships and fellowships
Guest lecturers

How can I double the value of my Annual Fund gift?

Your employer may match your gift for higher education. Some will even triple it! For each gift or installment, ask your human resources office for a Matching Gift form, fill it out, and send it to the UGA College of Education along with your check.