Giving to Cerro Coso: Frequently Asked Questions

We invite you to learn more about the Cerro Coso College College Annual Fund by reviewing some of the most frequently asked questions of staff and volunteers:

Question: What is the Annual Fund?

Answer: The gifts that alumni, parents, and friends of the College make in response to yearly requests for support comprise the Annual Fund. Annual giving is a way in which the largest number of college constituents is able to support Cerro Coso College. The Annual Fund includes unrestricted gifts and gifts restricted for current operations. Gifts to the Fund are expended in the fiscal year in which they are received.

Question: How is the Annual Fund used?

Answer: Annual gifts help support the operating budget. They provide vitally needed resources for academic programs, scholarship support, equipment and materials purchases, computers for labs, student services, as well as academic and co-curricular programming and activities. Cerro Coso College depends on annual gifts for an important part of its budget.

Question: How can my gift make a difference?

Answer: Every gift counts toward increasing our participation rate. By making a gift, the donor is choosing to take an active role in the life of the College. Each gift has immediate impact. Consider this: Every dollar given to the Annual Fund equals the spendable income that $20 in the endowment generates. Alumni giving serves as an important measure by which foundations gauge alumni involvement and satisfaction. Foundations often consider alumni participation rates when making major gifts to colleges and universities. Just as important, college guidebooks such as Barron's, Fiske, and U.S. News & World Report use alumni giving participation rates as the sole criterion to assess alumni satisfaction when determining overall institutional ratings of quality.

Question: What are matching gifts and will my employer match my gift?

Answer: Matching gifts are dollars matched by employers in response to charitable contributions made by employees. Retirees, as well as spouses and domestic partners of employees often are also eligible for corporate matching gifts. To find out if your employer is a matching gift company, please contact your personnel or human resources office. To have your gift matched, complete a matching gift form and return it, along with your contribution, to the Office of Annual Giving. Matching gifts can help you qualify for Annual Fund Recognition Clubs.