Frequently Asked Questions

Why is faculty and staff giving so important to Ohio State?
Gifts from faculty and staff provide funding for important initiatives on all of Ohio State’s campuses. They also are an endorsement of the university, announcing to alumni, friends, corporations, and foundations that Ohio State is an institution worthy of support and that support starts at “home.”

How is Campus Campaign different from other fundraising efforts on campus?
Campus Campaign contributions are used internally for Ohio State’s individual programs, projects, and endowments. Campus Campaign donors choose where they want their gifts to be used according to their interest areas within the university. There are thousands of funds within Ohio State and the Ohio State Medical Center that range from patient assistance to employee education, research, scholarships, and program support.

Other fundraising efforts on campus focus on external charities. Bucks for Charity, Ohio State’s participation in the United Way’s Charitable Drive, and Operation Feed support community organizations and charities in the city and surrounding counties. These initiatives are not related to the annual Campus Campaign and do not support Ohio State initiatives.

When will faculty and staff be asked to make a gift?
While gifts from faculty and staff are welcome throughout the year, the Campus Campaign focuses its efforts from February 1 through April 30. During that time, volunteers personally distribute gift forms to faculty and staff and ask them to make a gift to the university. Faculty and staff gifts processed between July 1 and April 30 are included in the participation totals recognized at the annual Campus Campaign Celebration event.

May I designate my gifts to a particular area of the university?
Yes! You may choose from more than 8,000 funds. These may be funds within your own unit or funds related to scholarships, regional campuses, libraries, WOSU, diversity programs, research, childcare, wetlands, athletics, or outreach, to name a few.

How will my gift be used?
It’s your choice! You can designate your gift to any college, department, program, scholarship, or other initiative that you believe in at Ohio State. To search for a fund, please log in to the Campus Campaign online giving site or, if you are an OSU Medical Center staff or faculty member, visit OneSource.

How much of my gift will actually go to the fund(s) I select?
100 percent of your gift will go to the fund(s) you choose.

Is my gift confidential?
Each gift made by an employee is kept confidential. Individual employee gift amounts are not shared with your manager. Your participation is shared with Campus Campaign volunteers. Campus Campaign staff handles your giving information confidentially and with care.

Not everyone can afford to make a large contribution. What difference could a small gift make?
Each gift—no matter how big or how small—is important. Whatever the size, your gift shows that you believe in the fund you have chosen to support. There are many funds that receive a large number of “small” gifts.

Is my gift tax deductible?
Yes.

How do I make my gift?
To make a one-time gift:
• Cash—Drop off in person at 1480 West Lane Avenue. Please do not send cash through the mail, to ensure your gift is secure.
• Check—Make payable to The Ohio State University Foundation.
• Credit card—Include card number on your gift form or make your gift online now.

To make an ongoing gift through per pay installments (12 times per year for those paid monthly and 26 times per year for those paid biweekly):
• Payroll deduction—Sign up today by making your gift online and choosing the payroll deduction option, or include deduction information on your gift form.

How can I find out what I gave to last year?
Each donor packet is personalized, listing the gifts/pledges made by an individual during the previous year’s campaign. You may also view your previous year’s giving through Campus Campaign by logging in to the Campus Campaign online giving site. Additional information on personal giving history is available by contacting the Campus Campaign office at (614) 292-3065 or ccampaign@osu.edu.

What do I do if I want to search for funds but am not ready to make a gift?
After logging in to the Campus Campaign online giving site, peruse funds using the “Search All Funds” feature or click “Add More Funds” to be directed to the Giving Opportunities page. Look through the database of more than 3,500 funds, but do not click “Complete Your Gift” until you are ready to give.

Why aren’t funds from my area available on the Campus Campaign online giving site?
Each year we increase the number of funds listed. If you do not find the fund you are looking for, please contact either the Campus Campaign office or the development office in that area for assistance.

How do I get a gift form?
If you did not receive a gift form in a donor packet, you may download and print a blank form, or see your Campus Campaign volunteer for a form.

How do I submit my gift form?
If you choose not to submit your gift online, please complete the personalized gift form you received in your donor packet or download and print a blank form, and mail it (along with a check, if applicable) to:

Campus Campaign
Room 122
1480 West Lane Avenue
Columbus, OH 43221

You may use the return envelope you received in your donor packet to send the gift form through campus mail by crossing out the city, state, and zip and writing ‘Campus Mail’ on the envelope. You may also use a standard campus mail envelope with your sealed return envelope enclosed inside.

To ensure your gift is secure and credited properly, please do not send cash through campus mail or the U.S. Postal Service.

What do I need to know about payroll deduction?
Your gift will be automatically deducted from your pay each pay period beginning July 1, 2009, and continue until further notice. You may change your gift amount or designation at any time by contacting the Campus Campaign office. Deductions are a minimum of $1 per pay period and are collected at least 12 times per year for those paid on a monthly basis and 26 times per year for those paid on a biweekly basis. One-time payroll deductions cannot be processed.

You are encouraged to visit the Campus Campaign online giving site or review your gift form to verify that the deductions accurately reflect your gift intentions.

How can I designate a gift in honor of or in memory of an individual?
To designate a gift in honor of a living individual or in memory of a deceased individual, faculty and staff should include a note with their completed gift forms that list the following (as applicable):

1) The name of the individual being honored and his or her mailing address. A card will be sent to let the individual know a gift was made in his or her honor.
2) The name of the individual being memorialized, and the name and mailing address of the family member who should be notified of the gift. Please also note the relationship of the family member to the deceased.

Will my gift through Campus Campaign qualify me for the President’s Club?
The President’s Club is The Ohio State University's largest and most prestigious major donor recognition group. Established in 1963, the President’s Club is comprised of more than 9,000 donors who have made major gifts—undesignated or designated—to Ohio State.

Annual recognition is extended to donors who make yearly gifts of $2,500 or more during the calendar year. Gifts may be made by payroll deduction, cash, or securities. (Please note that donor recognition levels for the President’s Club, as well as courtesies and benefits, may change at any time.)

Alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and students are all eligible for recognition by the President’s Club. The Ohio State University Foundation and the Office of University Development are the official gift-receiving agencies of the university. Any designated or undesignated gift to the university given through either of these agencies qualifies as a charitable gift within the limits of the law.

For more information about the President’s Club, including specific courtesies and benefits, visit presidentsclub.osu.edu or contact President’s Club Services at (614) 292-9550.

What is the Corporate Matching Gift Program?
Employees whose spouses work for companies that offer a matching gift program have an opportunity to double or even triple their gifts. The Corporate Matching Gift Program is a service provided by nearly 1,000 companies that will match contributions from their employees to institutions of higher education. A list of participating companies is available through the Campus Campaign office or through University Development’s online database.

The online database contains forms for some of the participating companies. In some circumstances, the donor’s spouse will need to contact the human resources department of his or her employer to obtain the appropriate matching gift form. The matching gift form should then be completed and sent to:

The Ohio State University
Office of University Development
1480 West Lane Avenue
Columbus, OH 43221

For more information, please contact:
Campus Campaign
The Ohio State University
Office of University Development
1480 W. Lane Avenue
Columbus, OH 43221
Phone: (614) 292-3065
Fax: (614) 247-6614
E-mail: ccampaign@osu.edu

Campus Campaign Staff
Tina Thome, Director
thome.3@osu.edu