The Virginia Athletics Foundation’s Young Alumni Program allows recent graduates to directly impact Virginia Athletics and give back to an athletics program they proudly support while their gift receives a dollar-for-dollar match.
What is the Virginia Athletics Foundation (VAF)?
The VAF is the non-profit fundraising organization for Virginia Athletics. The Foundation is responsible for raising annual, capital and endowment funds to support scholarships, academic affairs, summer school, facilities, and operational needs of the athletics department.
Who is eligible for the Young Alumni Program?
Young Alumni are individuals who have graduated with an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in the last four years or have obtained a graduate degree from U.Va. within the last two years.
For the 2012 Virginia Athletics Foundation giving year (January 1-December 31, 2012), young alumni include undergraduate program graduates in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, and graduate program graduates in 2011 and 2012.
Example: Joe Cavalier, undergraduate class of 2012, makes a gift of $100 to the Foundation in 2012. The Foundation matches the gift with $100, giving Mr. Cavalier the benefits associated with a $200 gift. In 2013, Mr. Cavalier makes a gift of $500, receiving benefits for a $1,000 gift. Mr. Cavalier will continue to receive the match in 2014 and 2015, for a total of 4 years.
If Mr. Cavalier chose to make his first gift in 2013, the Foundation would match his gift each year for a total of three years (2013, 2014, 2015).
What does it mean that the VAF will “match” my gift?
Simply put, the VAF will give you credit for double the amount of your gift. For example, if you give $350 to the VAF, the VAF will “match” your gift dollar-for-dollar and give you benefits and priority points for a $700 gift.
The Virginia Athletics Foundation will also match an Employer Matching Gift. Contact your employer’s human resources department for information on their Matching Gift program. As a Young Alumnus, if your company matches your $350 gift—making your total gift $700—the Virginia Athletics Foundation will match your $700 contribution dollar-for-dollar, giving you the benefits and priority points for a $1,400 gift.
Benefits of joining the Virginia Athletics Foundation Young Alumni Program
• Satisfaction of providing support to deserving student-athletes
• Priority points that allow priority seating for football, men’s basketball and post-season competition
• Invitations to socials, celebrations, and post-season events
• Tax Deduction
• Auto Decal
• Subscription to Cavalier Corner*
• Additional benefits associated with each giving level
*for Sabre Club ($100-349) level and above
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are priority points and how are they calculated? Priority Points and Calculations
2. How does participating in the Young Alumni Program influence my priority points? By participating in the Young Alumni Program, you receive priority points for your current year gift, including the VAF match. Current year points are heavily weighted in your priority point calculation. You also receive Lifetime Points (x .02) for your paid gift and for the VAF match in the year of your gift, and for every year you give to the Virginia Athletics Foundation. Making a gift as a Young Alumnus to receive the dollar-for-dollar match will increase your Lifetime Dollars more quickly.
3. Is there a maximum amount that can be matched? A maximum of $5,000 will be matched by the Virginia Athletics Foundation.
4. What is the difference between a pledge and a donation/gift? A pledge is the amount of money you commit to the Virginia Athletics Foundation annual campaign to be paid by December 31 of that year. A gift/donation is the money you have paid toward your pledge.
5. I am a 2007 graduate and made a gift to the Virginia Athletics Foundation in 2008. Can I receive a match credit for that gift? Only gifts made starting with the 2009 annual campaign will receive a dollar-for-dollar match.
6. I make gifts to other areas of the University. Do I earn priority points for those gifts? Donors earn priority points only for those gifts made to the Virginia Athletics Foundation, which are used to support the scholarship and operational needs of the Athletics Department. However, your gift to VAF does count toward the University’s $3 billion capital campaign.
7. Do I receive benefits at the level of my pledge or the level of my pledge + matched gift? A Young Alumnus participating in the Young Alumni Program will receive the benefits at the matched gift level for each eligible year in which a gift is made. See benefits chart. However, in 2012 when a 2008 graduate is no longer eligible for the VAF dollar-for-dollar match, a 2008 graduate must make a gift at the level achieved with the match in 2011 to maintain the level benefits.