Levels of Giving
How Your Gifts Can Be Used - GIVE NOW!
In addition to the five basic levels of giving listed in your Friends Rainbow brochure, level of giving to the Friends may also be defined in more detail, using these three more broadly based levels:
First Level
Gifts are used to cover immediate and ongoing needs for promotion and development of the Friends fund raising initiatives. Including office wages, postage, printing, and catering of promotional events. This is, the "seed money" that is be used to finance other fund raising efforts. A sample project is the new, accompanying Rainbow brochure, funded by gifts made specifically for printing the brochure. These smaller gifts are the ones that are most needed, right away to launch the overall Friends program and to keep it running from year year. The base amount needed now and on an annual basis for operations is $5,000. For the long term, an operations endowment of $25,000 is sought to secure long-range annual income of these operating and promotional costs.
Also needed on an ongoing basis:
- Additional amounts for individual Working Scholarships.
- Travel stipends for library faculty and staff continuing education.
- Funding for specific community-wide promotional events.
Each gift would vary from $500 to $3,000 and each would be written up as an individual proposal, naming and providing a detailed profile of the proposed recipient or description of the event to be supported.
One of the most critical needs of the WSU Tri-Cities Benitz Library, right now is adequate staffing. The Working Scholars Sponsored Employment Program is synergistic in that it helps both the Library and the individual students receiving the scholarship as they in turn work for the library. The Working Scholars Program is like privately funded Work Study.
Librarians in the WSU System have faculty status and are expected to be active in professional associations. Library staff members are also encouraged to be active in organizations as life-long learning activities. Gifts specifically designated for travel are needed to assist library personnel with their work-related travel.
Typically, several program events are sponsored each year by the Friends as fund raisers. These programs honor local writers and provide an excellent vehicle for seeking additional funding for the Benitz Library.
Second Level
Larger individual gifts, cover the purchase of book collections and/or automation services. Gifts for books to develop subject area collections may range from $500 to $5,000, and up to $20,000, depending on the resources and goals of the donor. Proposals may also be prepared and submitted for specific subject areas. Different subject areas will, of course, appeal to different potential donors.
A $25,000 gift for a Friends operations and promotions endowment, as described above, will fall into this level of giving.
Equipment and software for computer work stations providing student access to online resources can range from $1,000 to $5,000 depending on the capabilities provided at each station.
Third Level
Funding for the development of physical facilities, automation equipment, and large scale collection development fall into this catagory. We have donors ready to give us significant world-class special collections, but we do not have the floor or shelf space to house them. Fortunately, our CIC building was designed to facilitate additional floors and wings to the Libraries portion.
These gifts could range from $50,000 to $10,000,000, depending on the resources and goals of individual donors.
Special arrangement can be made for acknowledging donors such as naming a room or wing of the library after donor, or placing plaques on equipment or inside each book purchased with a gift.
Direct Involvement in the Use of Your Gifts
As stated in the Rainbow Brochure, the Friends are a support group for the Benitz Library. Giving to the Friends, therefore, provides for those who wish the opportunity to be actively involved in the development of the Benitz Library. Indeed, donors who want to have direct involvement in how their gifts are used may do so in the Friends program. Members are invited to participate on the Friends Board, in addition to being directly involved in the use of their own gifts.