50th Reunion Giving
We Are on the Giving Upswing for Our 50th Milestone Reunion Year!
Please join your classmates in celebrating our 50th – and Smith’s 150th – with a special “stretch” gift.
You can give a gift, including a pledge, to the Smith Fund for general purposes or designate a Smith Fund program important to you; make a gift to our Class of ’76 Endowed Scholarship Fund (’76 ESF); or make a planned gift, also including a pledge, through your will, trust, or IRA. We’ve described those options and how to give in this Class of 1976 Giving Document.
Our 50th Milestone Reunion goal is to reach more than 50% participation in FY26 giving (7/1/25 to 6/30/26), and to raise at least $2.5 million for the five-year period since our last reunion, beginning 7/1/21 and ending 6/30/26.
Look for updates on this page and from your classmates on the Class Fund Team. And if you have any questions, please contact Lib Butler at ebutler@ebutlerllc.com or Kaarina at kaarina.salovaara@outlook.com.
The Class of 1976 Endowed Scholarship Fund
Our classmate, Anne Cohen, has committed $100,000.00 to establish the Class of 1976 Endowed Scholarship Fund. Combined with a $50,000.00 match (by an anonymous alumna for the Here for Every Voice scholarship campaign), we have met the $150,000.00 minimum required to establish a named endowed fund. We are thrilled that this exciting endeavor by our class will support future generations of Smithies.
What does this mean? A class-endowed scholarship generates annual income that can be awarded to an eligible student or students for the financial support they need at Smith. It supports the goal of the Here for Every Voice scholarship campaign, which is to dismantle the financial barriers that can deter even the most promising students from applying to Smith.
You may also send any questions about the Class of 1976 Endowed Scholarship Fund to our Class Fund Team Co-Coordinators, Kaarina Salovaara and Lib Butler, or to Isla Grant, our Treasurer/Planned Giving Chair at islagrant331@gmail.com.
Thank you, Anne, for making this Class of 1976 Endowed Scholarship Fund a reality, and to each of you for your commitment and connection to Smith. This is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates the impact of the Class of 1976!
Milestone Reunion Gifts
During the five years leading up to the reunion, all gifts, pledges, and bequest intentions will be counted toward our class’s Milestone Reunion giving. To contribute to The Class of 1976 Endowed Scholarship Fund, or to donate otherwise, go to www.smith.edu/1976/give, call 1-800-241-2056, or mail a check to Smith College Gift Accounting, 33 Elm Street, Northampton, MA 01063. You can also consider a gift in memory of or in honor of a classmate.
Gifts Using Retirement Accounts
Happy Birthdays, classmates! Many of us have turned 70, 70 and a half, or 71, so it’s time to think about the best way to fund your 50th Reunion gift. You can direct your IRA custodian to send up to $108,000 per calendar year directly to Smith as a Qualified Charitable Distribution, or you can send a one-time gift of up to $54,000 from your IRA as a Charitable Annuity and create a lifetime income stream (currently approximately 6.4%). Either gift can go to the Smith Fund or our class’s endowed scholarship fund. For more information, talk to Isla at 610-453-9090 or email her at islagrant331@gmail.com. For more information, contact Sam Samuels in the Development Office at ssamuels@smith.edu or go to https://smith.plannedgiving.org/new-incentives.
Planned Giving
Planned giving is another giving option. Wills, trusts, IRAs, and insurance policies are examples of financial instruments in this category. These can be unrestricted gifts, made to the Class of 1976 Endowed Scholarship Fund, or split. It’s an easy process, and if you go to https://smith.plannedgiving.org, you’ll find all the information you need. Or email Isla for help!
Isla Grant, Planned Giving Chair
610-453-9090
islagrant331@gmail.com