Giving Methods

Give by mail

Office of Development
4100 College Station
Brunswick, ME 04011-8432

Give by card

Support our annual giving campaigns

Give by phone

(888) 385-2254

To initiate a stock transfer, download the instructions below. For wire transfer or specialty instructions, or to confirm account information, contact Joanna Baumgarten at (207) 798-7156.

Please note that standard methods of giving stock do not apply in the case of: physical stock certificates, direct registration shares, closely-held stock, stocks held on a foreign exchange, or mutual funds.

Gifts of appreciated securities typically carry benefits not associated with gifts made by check, cash, or credit card. Click here to learn more about the benefits of using appreciated assets to make your gift.

If you would like to notify Bowdoin of your intent to initiate a stock transfer, provide special instructions, or if you have any questions, please contact the Development Office at 207-725-3094 or via email at stockgift@bowdoin.edu.

Bowdoin Stock Transfer Instructions

While mutual funds are similar to stock in many ways, with regard to gifting shares to a charity the process is quite different. Donating shares of mutual funds is more complex and often requires special delivery instructions depending on how and where the shares are currently held (by the fund company or in a brokerage account). Mutual fund transfers require both the sending and receiving broker to verify account information before the transfer is initiated. As such, it can take two to three weeks to complete a transfer.

 To facilitate your gift of mutual fund shares, please complete the form below with information on the shares you would like to donate. Our brokerage team will review the information and advise you of any special requirements.
 
Please contact Joanna Baumgarten at (207) 798-7156 with questions.

A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a charitable account sponsored by a public charity that donors use to support their philanthropy. DAF donors make irrevocable, tax deductible contributions of cash, securities or other assets to the public charity sponsoring the DAF in the donor(s)’ name.

If you have questions about how your gift may be designated, please contact the Office of Development at 207-725-3094.

Monthly recurring giving from alumni or families is the most reliable and convenient way to make an annual gift to the College while providing critical support to activities and services throughout Campus.

You can establish a recurring gift with a contribution of as little as $5 per month. Monthly gifts can be made online.

You may be able to double or even triple your gift!

To find out if your company has a matching gift program, please enter your employer’s name below.

If your company will match your gift, you may be able to access the forms or online instructions directly from the search results (see Guidelines). Each company will have a unique set of requirements and submission process. Some companies match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses.

If you don’t see your company listed, reach out to your Human Resources department for more information.

The IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution (IRA QCD)—formerly known as the IRA Charitable Rollover--- allows individuals who are 70- ½ years or older to direct distributions from their IRA account to qualified domestic charities each tax year up to an annual limit. Through calendar year 2023, the annual QCD limit for an outright gift is $100,000. The SECURE Act 2.O provided that the QCD limit be adjusted annually for inflation. For calendar year 2024, the QCD limit is $105,000.

IRA QCD donors can avoid taking their Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), or lessen the income they must recognize from their RMD, by directing QCD gifts from their IRA plans to Bowdoin. Because QCD gifts go directly from the IRA to the donor’s designated charity, the donor does not recognize the QCD amount as income to them from their tax-deferred IRA and they are not eligible to take a charitable tax deduction for the gift. See our IRA QCD Fact Sheet for more information.

Note that the IRA QCD can also be used to fund a life income gift, that is, a charitable gift annuity or a charitable remainder trust. Contact the Office of Gift Planning at giftplanning@bowdoin.edu or call (207) 725-3172 for more information.

• IRA QCD Fact Sheet
• Guide to reporting IRA QCD gifts

 

If you are interested in donating complex appreciated assets including, for example: restricted stock, privately-held business interests (e.g., private company corporate stock, LLC & limited partnership stock, private equity and hedge fund interests, as well as pre-IPO shares), retirement assets, real estate, oil and gas interests, royalties, tangible personal property (e.g., art and other collectables) or bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, contact the Office of Gift Planning at giftplanning@bowdoin.edu or call 207-725-3172.

Quick guides:

• Tangible Personal Property
• Real Estate
• Charitable Lead Trusts