Annual Giving

Make your gift online any time at www.etsu.edu/give.

You can explore other ways to give here.

1. Tuition covers only about half the real cost of undergraduate education.  Grants, research, State funding, and philanthropy make up the remainder.  Even those who pay "full tuition" benefit from the generosity of others, through enhanced facilities, programs, and experiential learning.
2. Making an annual gift every year makes a statement to corporations, foundations, and college ranking publications, sending a clear signal that you believe in ETSU and support the unique educational experience we provide.

Tuition covers only about half of the true cost of any degree of education. 

Annual gifts help bridge that gap, ensuring ETSU can continue to provide an exceptional educational experience for current and future students. Every gift (regardless of size) makes a meaningful impact by supporting student opportunities, strengthening academic programs, enhancing campus life, and sustaining the University's long-term financial health. 

When alumni and friends give each year, they help protect and enhance the value of an ETSU degree for generations to come. 

Annual Gifts - raised each year from alumni, parents, partners, and friends and typically spent within the same fiscal year. Annual gifts help funds many of the programs and priorities on campus that do not receive regular designated support. 

Capital Gifts - normally larger, one-time donations that go toward projects like new buildings, equipment, or facilities.

Endowment Gifts - the principle is invested, and the investment income from the principle gift perpetually supports the University through underwritten scholarships, professorships, chairs, colleges, schools, and programs. 

Campaign Gifts or Pledges - demonstrate your support for the Campaign for ETSU and funds initiatives within the campaign case statement. 

Transformational gifts help move ETSU forward, but gifts of every size are just as important. With more than 110,000 living alumni, the collective impact of our generosity is extraordinary. 

When alumni, friends, faculty, staff, parents, and students come together, every gift strengthens scholarships, academic programs, and opportunities that change lives. Every day, every hour, the ETSU family helps make it possible for students to pursue an education they might not otherwise have the opportunity to receive. 

The ETSU President's Circle recognizes donors who make gifts totaling $1,000 or more during the University's fiscal year. Gifts to any area of the University count toward President's Circle membership. 

President's Circle members enjoy exclusive opportunities throughout the year to engage with the University, including invitations to private tailgates before every ETSU home football game and other special President's Circle events and experiences here. 

Absolutely! There are many meaningful ways to make a difference beyond making a financial gift. 

You can recommend ETSU to prospective students, mentor or hire students and recent graduates, offer internships through your organization, volunteer at University events, share your ETSU story, attend alumni and campus events, and cheer on the Buccaneers in the classroom, in competition, and throughout the community. 

You can also help amplify ETSU's impact by engaging with and sharing University Advancement content on social media, encouraging others to get involved, and serving as an advocate for the University within your personal and professional networks. 

During Forever ETSU Week of Giving, we invite the entire Buccaneer family to join us by sharing stories, celebrating ETSU, and inspiring others to support the students and programs that make our university extraordinary. Whether you give your time, your voice, or a financial gift, every act of support helps move ETSU forward.

Every gift to ETSU makes an impact. Unrestricted gifts through Annual Giving provide the flexibility to address the University's greatest needs, supporting students, academic programs, research, campus initiatives, and opportunities as they arise. 
If you have a particular passion, you can also direct your gift to the college, school, department, program, scholarship, athletic team, or initiative that matters most to you. 

No matter where you choose to give, your generosity helps strengthen ETSU and create opportunities that change lives. 
Explore the many ways you can support ETSU and find the area that is most meaningful to you. 

The East Tennessee State University Foundation is a qualified tax-exempt corporation under Section 501 (c)(3), making your contributions tax deductible to the extent provided by law. If you received any tangible benefit in exchange for your contribution, the tax deductible amount is limited to the amount of your contribution over the stated value of the item or benefit you received. 

Athletic ticket obligation gifts and athletic tickets,  are not tax deductible.  Always consult your tax advisor.

Yes! Tribute gifts are a meaningful way to honor or remember someone special, such as a family member, friend, professor, student, or colleague. When you make a gift in honor of someone, we will send an acknowledgment to the honoree (or the individual you designate). If you make a gift in memory of a loved one, we will notify the family of your thoughtful tribute.

Yes! Many employers offer matching gift programs that can increase the impact of your donation to ETSU at no additional cost to you. Companies may match gifts dollar for dollar or even at a higher ratio, such as 2:1 or 3:1. 

Check with your employer's Human Resources department or employee benefits office to see if your company offers a matching gift program and learn how to submit a matching gift request. If you have questions, the ETSU Office of University Advancement is happy to help. 

Please contact the ETSU Advancement Services team for a new receipt. They can be reached by phone at (423) 439-5722 or by email at advs@etsu.edu during regular business hours Monday through Friday. If you reach out during non-business hours, they will respond to your message as soon as they are in the office.

You can visit our Advancement Services Forms page to make changes, including making changes to your alumni records or to submit Class Notes.

ETSU's fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30, aligning with the University's academic calendar.