Over these last few months, we’ve seen more than ever the power of donors across the Ivy League. Historically, most big-ticket donors to Ivy League institutions have exercised their power behind the scenes, earmarking their money for professorships, programs, buildings, and stadiums. Of course, we often see their names on such professorships, programs, buildings, and stadiums, but that’s just a little reward for how old money gives back.

How Ivy League Schools Classify Donors

Ivy League schools don’t release lists of the precise size of their individual alum donations. After all, that would be gauche. But the Ivy League schools do release their annual reports on giving, in which some list the names of certain alumni in various brackets or, in some cases, certain societies. After all, donating a certain amount or giving every year since graduation at certain Ivies could lead to membership in various societies. It’s not like these societies meet regularly or, in some cases, at all, but there’s a certain prestige to being listed as a member. And, hey, since these big-ticket donors receive preferential treatment for their children in the admissions process, what other perks could they need?

In any case, drum roll, please…below is a breakdown of how each of the eight Ivy League schools classifies its donors and, in the case of Columbia University, we’ve listed recent big-ticket donors to the institution:

Brown University

Brown University classifies its donors into the following categories:

• Carrie Tower Society – for donors to the Brown Annual Fund, tiered as follows: Cum Laude Partners ($1,500 – $2,499); Magna Partners ($2,500 – $4,999); Summa Partners ($5,000 – $9,999); Deans’ Circle ($10,000 – $24,999); Provost’s Circle ($25,000 – $49,999); Chancellor’s Circle ( $50,000 – $99,999); President’s Circle ($100,000+). Current students and recent alumni can earn each distinction by giving less, according to how long ago they graduated from Brown.
• 1764 Society – for donors who give each consecutive year, with distinctions between 3-4 years, 5-9 years, 10-24 years, and 25+ years.
• Brown Family Fellows – for Brown students’ family members who give in excess of $15,000 annually.
• College Hill Society – for those who name Brown in a will or life income plan.
• Loyal Bears – for those who donate any amount to the Brown Athletics Sports Foundation for two consecutive years.
• The Inman Page Black Alumni Council – for Black alumni donors, tiered as follows: donors of $5,000 receive the George Washington Milford Pin; donors of $7,500 receive the Ethel Tremaine Robinson pin; donors of $10,000 receive the Inman Page pin.

Columbia University

Columbia University’s fundraising website classifies donors into the following categories:

• Alumnae Legacy Circle – for donors to the College Fund of at least $15,000 
• College Walk Society – for donors to the financial aid program of at least $100,000
• International Leadership Society – for international donors to the College Fund of at least $5,000
• John Jay Associates – for all alumni donors of at least $2,500
• Loyal Blue Society – for donors of any amount who give to Columbia for two or more consecutive years or who set up a recurring gift.
• Parent Leadership Council – for parents of Columbia College students who give at least $15,000
• Young Leaders Council – for alumni graduating from the Class of 2006 or later who give at least $1,500
• 1754 Society – for donors of any amount who name Columbia in a will, trust, or estate plan.
• Founders Society – for alumni business owners who donate their time to mentor current students.

Cornell University

Cornell University classifies donors into the following categories:

• 1865 Society – for donors who give any amount for two or more consecutive years.
• The Tower Club – for donors who give at least $10,000, tiered as follows: Deans’ Circle ($10,000–$24,999); President’s Circle ($25,000–$49,999); Founders’ Circle ($50,000–$99,999); Ezra Cornell Circle ($100,000 and higher).
• Cornell Family Fellows – for current students’ parents and families who donate at least $15,000.
• Cornell Giving Partners – for donors who give between $1,000 and $9,999. 
• Cayuga Society – for donors who establish a planned gift or name Cornell in their will.

Dartmouth College

The Dartmouth College Fund terms their donor recognition system “Honor Roll.” The Honor Roll website provides a comprehensive list of all Dartmouth donors. Honor Roll classifies donors into the following categories: 

• Centennial Circle – for female alumni who give at least $100,000 to the Dartmouth College Fund
• Harold C. Ripley ’29 Society – donors who “made a DCF gift every year since graduation.” 
• Rotman Society/Dartmouth Loyal – donors who “made a DCF gift for three or more consecutive years and/or is a DCF sustaining donor.”
• 1769 Society — donors who “invest in the DCF at a leadership level” ($2,500 or greater annual donation).

Harvard University

The Harvard College Fund classifies donors into the following categories:

• 1636 Loyalty Society – for donors who give to the Harvard College Fund every year. 
• Associates Giving – for donors who give at least $1,000 dollars, tiered as follows: Associates ($1,000); Charter Associates ($2,500); Crimson Associates ($5,000); Leadership Associates ($10,000); President’s Associates ($25,000 or more).
• Harvard Yard Society – for donors who give “flexible, immediate-use funding” of at least $50,000, tiered as follows: Harvard Yard Society Members (annual gift of $50,000); Harvard Yard Society Partners ($250,000 gift or pledge); Harvard Yard Society Fellows ($500,000 gift or pledge); Dean’s Fellows ($1 million gift or pledge).
• John Harvard Society – “recognizes those individuals who have made a life income gift or bequest provision for Harvard College, the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), or the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.”
• Parent Partners – for parents of Harvard students and alumni who give at least $25,000 to the Harvard College Fund

Princeton University

Princeton University does not share its donor classification system publicly. The Princeton University alumni website simply distinguishes between annual gifts, planned gifts, capital gifts, international gifts, corporate and foundation gifts, and “Friends Groups” gifts to support specific campus organizations such as a particular sports team or museum. Donors who name Princeton in their will, IRA, insurance policy, bank account, or those who create a charitable trust or charitable gift annuity join the 1746 Society, which is composed of over 2,600 living members.

University of Pennsylvania

The Penn Fund classifies donors into three “Giving Societies:”

• Benjamin Franklin Society (3,454 current members) – for donors who give at least $2,500 annually, tiered as follows: Associate ($2,500-$4,999); Fellow ($5,000-$9,999); Founder ($10,000-$24,999); Ambassador ($25,000+).
• Charles Custis Harrison Society – for those who name Penn in a will, living trust, retirement plan, or life insurance policy, or have set up a life income gift that benefits it in the future.
• Ivy Stone Society (14,876 current members) – for undergraduate alumni who have donated any amount for three consecutive years, tiered as follows: Bronze Member (3-9 years of consecutive giving); Silver Member (10-14 years of consecutive giving); Gold Member (15-24 years of consecutive giving); Platinum Member (25+ years of cumulative giving and at least three years of consecutive giving); Diamond Member (25+ years of consecutive giving).

Yale University

For Humanity (a bit much, don’t you think?), Yale’s Fundraising Campaign, classifies donors into the following categories:

• The Nathan Hale Associates Program – for donors who give at least $1,000 annually, tiered as follows: Woolsey Associates ($1,000–$4,999); Harkness Associates ($5,000–$9,999); Sterling Associates ($10,000–$14,999); Hillhouse Associates ($15,000–$24,999); Woodbridge Associates ($25,000–$49,999); Elihu Yale Associates ($50,000–$99,999); Fourth Century Associates ($100,000 and above). Donors in the Woodbridge Associates tier and higher are considered members of the “Nathan Hale Leaders Circle.”
• Sterling Fellows – for donors of capital gifts of at least $5 million, tiered as follows: The Lanman Circle (between $5,000,000 and $9,999,999); The Sheffield Circle (between $10,000,000 and $24,999,999); The Whitney Circle (between $25,000,000 and $49,999,999); The Harkness Circle (between $50,000,000 and $74,999,999); The Battell Circle (between $75,000,000 and $99,999,999); The Mellon Circle (for gifts in excess of $100,000,000).

A Final Word on Big-Ticket Donors to the Ivies

Moving forward, it will be interesting to see if big-ticket donors find renewed courage to stand up to their alma maters when they see opportunities for significant improvement. And it will be interesting to see how the Ivy League schools respond to such calls for change. Stay tuned!