Giving to Claremont - Annual Fund - Claremont School of Theology

Giving to the Annual Fund supports operational expenses, student scholarships, campus maintenance and upgrades, faculty salaries, and support for the endowment. You can designate your gift to go toward any of these categories, or give an unrestricted gift that can be utilized to address the needs prioritized during the School's budget process. This is the most effective gift you can give and best meets our most necessary and immediate needs.

Claremont School of Theology depends upon your support to provide a top-quality theological education for its students. To help fulfill Claremont's mission, the Annual Fund provides for scholarships, operating expenses, and the ability to keep and attract world leaders to the School's faculty, library acquisitions and student services.

Without your gift, Claremont could not continue its long and distinguished tradition of training excellent leaders for positions in congregations, seminaries, ministries, universities and communities throughout the United States and around the world.

Your pledge or gift to the Annual Fund will help foster excellence in leadership and give support to the following:

Scholarships
Student Services
Faculty Support
General Operations
Books for the Library
Facility Maintenance

The Annual Fund will help meet these needs through your support and has a goal of $1,250,000.

Claremont School of Theology Annual Fund Gift Clubs

Gift Recognition Levels		Amount
Friend		$ 1 - 149
Sponsor		$ 150 - 749
Dean's Council		$ 750 - 1,499
Advocate		$ 1,500 - 2,499
President's Council		$ 2,500 - 7,499
Ambassador		$ 7,500 - 14,999
Legacy Givers		$15,000 and above

Those giving $2,500 or more will be invited to the gala President's Dinner in the fall.

The most popular means of making a gift to Claremont School of Theology is the simple cash gift. You can offset up to fifty percent of your adjusted gross income with a cash gift. The amount of the cash gift can be deducted from your income tax return, if you itemize your deductions. And if you're planning a major gift that exceeds the fifty percent limit in the current year, you may carry the extra deduction forward for up to five future years.

Some donors choose to make cash gifts over multi-year period, based on an initial written pledge that outlines the amount and payment schedule for the gift.

When donating securities that you have owned for more than twelve months, you may claim an income tax deduction based on their full market value at the time the gift is made, if you itemize. In addition, you pay no capital gains tax on the appreciation of the securities.

Such gifts are generally limited to offsetting more than thirty percent of your adjusted gross income, but may be carried forward for the succeeding five years.

If you own real estate that has increased significantly in value since you purchased it, you may find that capital gains tax may be a significant issue upon the sale of the property. When making a gift of real estate to Claremont School of Theology, you may qualify for a charitable income tax deduction based on the property's full appreciated value — up to thirty percent of your adjusted gross income in the year the gift was made. Any unused charitable deduction may be carried forward for the succeeding five years. A gift of real estate will help you avoid capital gains tax.

Insurance you no longer need to protect you or your family can be the basis of a charitable gift to Claremont School of Theology.

When donating a paid-up policy, your are eligible for an income tax deduction based on the replacement cost of the policy or the cost basis — whichever is lower.

When donating a policy that is not fully paid, you receive a charitable deduction for the approximate cash surrender value or the cost basis, if lower. If you continue paying the premiums, these payments can also be deducted.

If you wish, you may also obtain a new policy naming Claremont School of Theology as the beneficiary. A tax deduction may be claimed for the amount of premium payments, if the School is both the owner and beneficiary of the plan.