More Ways to Give

The Pitzer Society is the premier giving group for Pitzer College. Donors who give $1,963—the founding year of Pitzer College—or more qualify for yearly membership. We gratefully acknowledge the alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff and trustees whose annual Pitzer Society contributions place them as our most generous supporters.

In recognition of the College’s commitment to socially and environmentally conscious practices in all campus operations and in the education of our students, Pitzer Society giving levels represent the certification ratings of the US Green Building Council.

Platinum Certified           $10,000 and above
Gold Certified                 $5,000 to $9,999
Silver Certified                $2,500 to $4,999
Bronze Certified              $1,963 to $2,499

With four Platinum LEED and four Gold LEED buildings, Pitzer is a leader in the council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. The President and Pitzer’s Board of Trustees host an annual Pitzer Society Dinner and Auction each February during Family Weekend to honor our members.

Join Now

A memorial gift or gift in honor of a special person is a thoughtful way to remember someone while at the same time helping Pitzer College. Celebrate a person’s unique story by establishing a named fund or commemorate a loved one by naming a space or inscribing a plaque on Pitzer’s campus. Advancement staff are ready to work with you on your wishes for a special or memorial gift.

Named Annual Funds

Gifts of all sizes may be contributed to the Pitzer General Annual Scholarship Fund or one of the many Named Annual Funds already at Pitzer, like Class-Year Scholarships, the Internship Fund and the Student Research Award Fund.

Individuals, or groups of donors, may also create a new Named Annual Fund with a directed spending purpose to support a project, initiative, field group, program or other activity or academic endeavor at Pitzer on a year-to-year basis. An initial gift commitment of $25,000 or more, which may be given over five years, is needed. During this time, donors will receive a yearly report about how their funds were utilized and the advances for the College thanks to their generosity. A minimum of $5,000 or more is needed each year to sustain an established Named Annual Fund.

Sponsor a Benson Seat

Through our continuing Take a Seat initiative, donors may honor a graduate, professor, friend or family member by inscribing a special armchair plaque on a seat in Benson Auditorium—our main venue for music and dance performances, lectures, special presentations, first-year seminars and more. Etched into brushed stainless steel, your personalized special message, whether heartfelt, inspirational or quirky, will become part of our campus today, and for many tomorrows to come. Each sponsored seat is $500. Please click here to make your donation to Pitzer College and submit your desired plaque inscription. You will be contacted shortly after your submission.

Sponsor an Accolade Plaque

Pitzer parents, grandparents and friends with students living in West Hall, 2014 Hall or East Hall are invited to sponsor a personalized accolade plaque to be installed on the wood bench in the study niche directly outside their room. This very unique “shout out” is sure to capture a good laugh or smile today and become an important place to visit and remember when returning to campus for Alumni Weekend years from now. Each sponsored accolade, inscribed on a 1” x 4” stainless steel plaque, is $1,000. Please contact the Office of College Advancement if interested; we will be happy to assist you.

Memorial Gifts

There are special places on campus where the Pitzer community can remember loved ones no longer with us with an inscribed memorial plaque, including the David Bloom Memorial Garden next to the Edythe and Eli Broad Campus Center and the Memorial Grove adjacent to East Hall. Memorial scholarships and other named funds can be established with the assistance of the Office of College Advancement.

Why Payroll Giving?
Payroll giving is a convenient and efficient way to make a difference. By contributing a small portion of your salary, you can have a significant and sustainable impact on the lives of students at Pitzer College. It’s a hassle-free way to support Pitzer’s mission and initiatives, helping to ensure that our community continues to thrive.

How to Get Started:

1. Visit the payroll giving form to set up your donation.
2. Choose the amount you’re comfortable contributing each month.
3. Select the cause or initiative that resonates with you.
4. Experience the joy of making a lasting impact on our community!

Recognition and Appreciation
As a token of our gratitude, all payroll donors will be recognized at the annual spring luncheon, acknowledging your commitment to building a brighter future for Pitzer College.

Need Assistance?

If you need assistance with the payroll donation form or process, please don’t hesitate to contact our dedicated Human Resources partners at hr@pitzer.edu. If you have any additional questions, you may contact giving@pitzer.e​du.

Pitzer welcomes your gift of $25,000 or more through a pledge—a formal statement of intention to make a gift to the College. With a pledge, you may complete your gift with a flexible payment schedule up to five years, allowing you to give more generously than you originally may have considered. What is more, each payment on your pledge is eligible for an income-tax charitable deduction.

Donations of any size may be made online, by mail, or over the phone.

If you would like to donate by credit card, Pitzer encourages you to make your gift online. If you prefer to give by phone, please call 909.607.4670 with your credit card information and the fund to which you would like to designate your gift.

If you would like to pay by check, please make your check payable to Pitzer College and mail it to:

Pitzer College
Office of College Advancement
Box A-102
1050 N. Mills Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711-6101

End-of-Calendar-Year Gifts

Credit Cards: To receive a current-year gift receipt, Pitzer College needs to charge your credit card before midnight on December 31. Pitzer’s donation webpage takes credit cards and automatically charges the card within minutes of the donation. We strongly encourage you to use our website if you need a gift receipt to reflect the date of your donation. At the end of the calendar year when Pitzer’s campus is closed for winter break, your gift may not be recorded until after the new year.

Checks: If you mail your check, your gift must be postmarked on or before December 31 to receive a current-year gift receipt.

UPS/FedEx Deliveries: For a delivery to qualify for a current-year gift receipt, someone at Pitzer must sign/take possession of the delivery on or before December 31. With the shortened hours of Pitzer’s mailroom over winter break, please consider alternative ways to send a last-minute gift if you would like a current-year gift receipt.

Gifts of appreciated securities, stocks and bonds can provide considerable tax advantages when transferred to Pitzer before they are sold. If you have held your securities for more than one year, you may find that your gift will provide a twofold tax benefit, creating an income-tax deduction as well as helping avoid the capital-gains tax that would have been due on their sale. To give stock, direct your broker to make the transfer to Pitzer College and include the following DTC delivery instructions:

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
456 West Foothill Boulevard
Claremont, CA 91711
Phone: 909.625.0781
Fax: 909.621.6046
DTC Participant #0015
Pitzer Clearing Account #527-109089-520

Please be sure to reference your name and purpose of the gift. You can let us know about your gift at 909.621.8130 or giving@pitzer.edu.

End-of-Calendar-Year Gifts

The date of your gift, and how we value your gift, is based on the date the shares enter Pitzer’s clearing account.

Did You Know?

Your gift to Pitzer may be doubled or even tripled if you or your spouse works for a company that matches gifts. More than a thousand employers sponsor matching gift programs which match charitable contributions made by their employees.

Search below to see if your employer will match your gift. If you are eligible for a matching gift, contact your human resources department to find out how to apply or follow the URL link to your company’s online form. Thank you!

You can maximize the impact of your generosity if your employer matches all or part of your donation to Pitzer College. Check to see if your company has a Matching Gifts Program below.

Gifts of real estate

Including personal residences, second homes, income property and vacant land—offer a wide variety of tax and other benefits. Whereas most people give their entire interest away, it is also possible to give only a portion of the property (an undivided percentage interest) while retaining the rest for other purposes.

Gifts of personal property

Including rare books, works of art, valuable collectibles and tangible items of demonstrable value—in some cases may enable you to make a significant gift to support Pitzer with outstanding tax benefits to you. Likewise, gifts of intangible personal property, such as copyrights, patents and mineral rights, can generate income for the program of your choice on a continuing basis.