Competitive Drive Initiative

 

 Thanks to extraordinary support from donors, the Competitive Drive Initiative – a unified endeavor by Georgia Tech, the Georgia Tech Foundation, Georgia Tech athletics and the Alexander-Tharpe Fund to accelerate funding for student-athlete scholarships – surpassed $4.8 million raised in the final two months of 2022. With year-end gifts still being processed, the Competitive Drive Initiative has nearly doubled its initial $2.5 million goal, which produces an impact of more than $9.5 million for Tech student-athletes, thanks to a dollar-for-dollar match from the Georgia Tech Foundation.

 

Launched on Oct. 27, the Competitive Drive Initiative had an initial goal of raising $2.5 million in new gifts to Georgia Tech’s Athletic Scholarship Fund by Dec. 31. The Athletic Scholarship Fund is the A-T Fund’s top priority for annual gifts, as it directly provides scholarship funding for Tech student-athletes and other operational costs as needed. In all, more than 1,700 donors contributed to the Competitive Drive Initiative, resulting in the initial $2.5 million fundraising goal being nearly doubled.

                                                             GIVE NOW TO SUPPORT STUDENT-ATHLETE SCHOLARSHIPS                

                                                                                  COMPETITIVE DRIVE INITIATIVE FAQs  

The Alexander-Tharpe Fund still needs support for student-athlete scholarships. Please use the above button to give now and continue athletics unrelenting drive for excellence.

 

Competitive Drive Initiative Eligibility

 

To be eligible to receive the Accelerate GT match credit, donors must make “new” gifts to the Athletic Scholarship Fund prior to December 31, 2022. “New gifts” are defined as any dollar amount greater than the amount given to the Athletic Scholarship Fund in the 2022 Giving Year (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022).

  • Donors who made gifts to the Athletic Scholarship Fund during the 2022 Giving Year will be eligible to receive a match on any amount* above their renewal amount.
  • Gifts that come from GT family and friends who did not give to the Athletic Scholarship Fund in the 2022 Giving Year will be eligible to receive a matching gift on the total amount* of their donation.

New gifts or commitments to the 2023 Giving Year must be received by December 31, 2022 to be eligible to receive Accelerate GT match credit.  A commitment constitutes a pledge for the 2023 Giving Year only, and paid by June 30, 2023.

*New gifts must be larger than $50 to be eligible for the match.

 

 

Competitive Drive Initiative Incentives

Eligible donors will benefit from matching gifts through the following ways:

  • Points– Because the anonymous donor is forgoing their own priority points, donors participating in the Accelerate GT Match will receive 2 points per $100 for the dollar amount matched. See A-T Priority Points for more info  
  • Benefit Levels – Donors participating in the Accelerate GT Match will be recognized at the Athletic Scholarship Fund level earned by their personal giving plus matching funds. See Benefit Chart for more info  

                                                              GIVE NOW TO SUPPORT STUDENT-ATHLETE SCHOLARSHIPS                        

 

 

Donor Examples

Buzz Example

Buzz gave $1,000 in the 2022 Giving Year. He decides to give $2,000 in the 2023 Giving Year. Of that gift, $1,000 is a renewed gift and $1,000 is a new gift. Accelerate GT matches Buzz’s $1,000 new gift. Buzz now earns 2 points per $100 donated on a total of $3,000. Buzz’s benefit level also increases from Heisman to Golden T.

Mrs. Dodd Example

Mrs. Dodd has never given to the Athletic Scholarship Fund, but decided to give $1,500 in the 2023 giving year. Of that gift, all $1,500 is considered a new gift. Through the Accelerate GT Match, Mrs. Dodd receives a match gift of $1,500, earns 2 points per $100 donated on a total of $3,000 and enjoys recognition at the Golden T benefit level.

Mr. Burdell Example

Mr. Burdell used to give to the Athletic Scholarship Fund, but did not give in the 2022 Giving Year. Mr. Burdell decides to give $500 in the 2023 Giving Year. Of that gift, all $500 is considered a new gift. Through the Accelerate GT Match, Mr. Burdell receives a match of $500, earns 2 points per $100 donated on a total of $1,000 and enjoys recognition at the Heisman benefit level.

Ms. Jacket Example

Ms. Jacket is a young alum and gave $50 in the 2022 Giving Year to the Yellow Jacket Club. She decides to give $300 in the 2023 Giving Year. Of that gift, $50 is a renewed gift and $250 is considered a new gift. Accelerate GT matches Ms. Jacket’s $250 new gift. Mrs. Jacket earns 3 points per $100 donated on a total of $550. Mrs. Jacket’s benefit level increases from Member to Alexander.

Frequently Asked Questions

Giving Years span through July 1 - June 30.

 

Q: If I gave last year, will my renewal gift be matched?

A: While renewed gifts are not eligible for matching, any additional amount you give to the Athletic Scholarship Fund will be matched. Please see the Buzz donor example above.

Q: If I start a pledge this year, will my entire pledge be matched?

A: Matching is based on funds received by June 30, 2023. Your pledge payment for this giving year would be matched, but subsequent pledge payments would not be matched.

Q: If I am a young alumnus, will my new gift be matched?

A: Alumni who have graduated in the last five years are subject to the same eligibility parameters explained above. Young alumni who donate new gifts will receive 3 points per $100 matched which falls in line with the Young Alumni Yellow Jacket Club accelerated points offering.

Q. I requested a corporate match gift when I made a new gift to the Athletic Scholarship Fund. Will my corporate match gift be matched by this initiative?

A. Yes, your corporate match is also eligible to be matched as long as the gift from your company is received by June 30, 2023. Please notify A-T that you have submitted a request for a corporate match from your company.

Q. If I already gave to the Athletic Scholarship Fund in the 2023 Giving Year, am I still eligible for the match?

A. Yes, new gifts to the Athletic Scholarship Fund will be retroactively matched as far back as July 1, 2022.

Q. I routinely give to the Athletic Scholarship Fund in May. If I renew my gift and donate a new gift in May 2023, will I be eligible for the match?

A. Donors may make a commitment by December 31, 2022, to be eligible for this match. This commitment must be paid by June 30, 2023 to receive matching credit. Matching credit will not be applied until the payment is received. If you are interested in making a commitment, please fill out the pledge form.

Q. I am eligible for the match and donated a new gift. When will I see my match points? When will my level be adjusted?

A. Match points and levels will be manually adjusted by the Alexander-Tharpe Fund team monthly. If you are concerned that your gift was not matched properly, please reach out to the A-T Fund by phone, 404-894-5414, or email, atfund@athletics.gatech.edu.

Q. How do I confirm my renewal amount to the Athletic Scholarship Fund?

A. To view your renewal information, please log in to your account at www.atfund.org/login and click on the "2022 ASF Giving" header. The resulting page will display your renewal amount. Renewal statements will also include total gift amounts to the Athletic Scholarship Fund for the 2022 and 2023 Giving Years, and will be sent out via mail in November. You can also contact the A-T Fund by phone, 404-894-5414, or email, atfund@athletics.gatech.edu, to confirm your renewal amount.

Q. Recently, Georgia Tech announced the public launch of Transforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech, a $2 billion comprehensive campaign through 2027 that is designed to secure the resources that will advance the Institute and its impact — on people’s lives, on the way we work together to create innovative solutions, and on our world — for decades to come. Is the Competitive Drive Initiative a part of Transforming Tomorrow?

A. Yes. This initiative ties into one of the campaign’s primary goals—to increase financial support for students. We want to expand access for students from Georgia, the U.S., and around the world to attain an exceptional education and to benefit from all that Tech has to offer. All gifts to athletics and the Competitive Drive Initiative will be included in the Transforming Tomorrow campaign. 

All policies related to the Accelerate GT Match are subject to change at Georgia Tech’s sole discretion and without advance notice.

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Alexander-Tharpe Fund
Georgia Tech Athletic Association
150 Bobby Dodd Way, N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30332-0455
Phone: 404-894-5414