FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We have provided answers to some of our frequently asked questions below. Please feel free to contact us at (510) 642-2427 or at CalAthleticsFund@berkeley.edu if you have any additional questions.
General
What is the tax ID number for Cal Athletics?
UC Berkeley Foundation: 94-6090626
UC Regents: 94-6002123
Cal Athletics accepts gifts through the UC Berkeley Foundation and through UC Regents.
All Endowed Seating Program, Save Cal Rugby, Save Cal Baseball and Save Cal Men’s Gymnastics gifts must be directed to the UC Berkeley Foundation.
For any other gifts, make your check out to UC Regents or call the Cal Athletics Fund at
(510) 642-2427 if you are unsure who to make your check out to.
My contact information has changed. How do I update my contact information with Cal Athletics?
Can my friend and I share a donor account?
No. Donor and season ticket accounts may only be held in the name of an individual, an individual and spouse, or a business/corporation. Unfortunately, all donation, ticket and priority point history earned in an account cannot be transferred.
How do I search for a specific fund online through give.berkeley.edu?
Many members of the Cal Athletics Fund consistently give to a specific fund. If you are visiting give.berkeley.edu/athletics, look for the search box at the top of the page. Begin typing in the name of the fund you are giving to. If you would like to make a gift to a particular program, select the program of your choice in the dropdown menu on give.berkeley.edu/athletics.
Giving
What is the “philanthropic allocation” included as part of my gift?
Can I make a gift of stock or other securities?
Yes. Gifts can be made through the UC Berkeley Foundation. Please visit our giving securities website for more information.
Does Cal accept corporate matching gifts?
Yes. Hundreds of companies currently match their employees’ gifts to UC Berkeley. Be sure to consult your company’s policy for matching gifts in order to determine whether you will receive full benefits and priority point credit for the company’s portion. To find out if your company will match your gift to Cal Athletics, please consult our employer matching gift search on our Employer Matching Gifts website.
Can I schedule a gift to be made on a recurring schedule?
Yes. Gifts can be scheduled on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
What is the difference between a pledge, a straight pledge and a recurring gift?
A pledge is an ongoing, annual commitment that is usually paid off within four of five years. A straight pledge on the other hand, is typically a one-time commitment recorded in anticipation of a donation. Recurring gifts resemble pledges in that they are ongoing donations; still, recurring gifts are different from pledges in that there is no monetary commitment attached to recurring gifts. Instead, a donor can choose when to begin and end his or her recurring giving.
I work for UC Berkeley. Do you accept payroll deductions from UC Berkeley
Can I make a gift of property or items of value?
Sometimes. Cal Athletics accepts Gifts-in-Kind only in cases where the gift offsets a necessary operating expense. Gifts-in-kind must be approved by the Cal Athletics Fund before being accepted. E-Mail the Cal Athletics Fund at CalAthleticsFund@berkeley.edu to discuss your gift-in-kind.
How do I make sure my gift directly helps student-athletes?
Any gift to the Cal Athletics Fund, scholarship funds or sport-specific annual funds directly contribute towards the daily expenses, travel costs, uniform and gear expenses and the academic services necessary for our student-athletes to excel in the classroom, in competition and in life.
How can I support student-athlete academic services and professional development opportunities?
Do I receive benefits and/or a tax deduction for a gift made through a charitable fund?
How do I know if my gift counts towards my benefits as a donor?
I made a gift to Cal Athletics. When should I expect my gift receipt to arrive?
Thank you for your support of our student-athletes.
I just made a gift to Cal Athletics. Why does my gift not show up in my online account?
Your gift may not appear immediately in your account due to the our gift processing system. Cal Athletics processes a large volume of gifts every day and while we do our best to process gifts immediately, it takes us up to a few weeks to record gifts in our donors’ accounts.
How will the tax code changes affect season ticket holders?
Are gifts to Cal Athletics tax deductible?
Yes. Gifts to Cal Athletics are considered philanthropic contributions in support of Cal’s 850 student-athletes; however, a contribution that involves the right to purchase tickets for seating at our athletic events is not deductible for federal income tax purposes.
How do I direct my gift to a donor advised fund?
When making a gift, please use the UC Berkeley Foundation tax ID (946090626) and note the fund name (or fund number, if you have it) with the gift submission.
Membership
Who can help me with any priority point questions?
For more information, please contact us at CalAthleticsFund@berkeley.edu or call 510.642.2427
What are priority points?
Can I decline benefits?
Yes. Donors may request that no goods or benefits be received in exchange for donations, ensuring a gift remains 100% tax-deductible. Declining benefits includes declining season-ticket privileges and benefits.
Tickets
Who can help me with my ticket account, game time, parking and gameday questions?
If you have any ticket purchase and account questions, schedule, parking and game-day questions, please call the Athletic Ticket Office Sales & Service team at 1 800 GO BEARS Ext. 3.
I have to make a donation as part of my season ticket package. Can I give to any sport or only to the sport for which I have season tickets?
Any gifts given towards per seat donations (starting 1/1/18) will not be tax-deductible and can only be directed to the Cal Athletics Fund (not sport specific funds).
Priority Points
What are priority points and why do they matter?
Priority points are the system Cal Athletics uses to equitably assign donor and season-ticket benefits. While the annual giving level determines the benefits received (click here for the current benefit chart), priority points are used to rank patrons receiving those benefits and determine items such as season-ticket locations, parking lot locations, and single-game or post-season ticket locations.
How much must I give to receive priority points?
Donors at the Cal Club ($100) will receive 5 points per year for each consecutive year of giving. Points awarded for donations do not calculate decimal points. A full $100 or $200 of giving must be reached before a full point is awarded.
How do I find out my priority point total?
Your priority point total is available through your online ticket account. Log in to your online ticket account using your account number or email address and password, select the “My Account” section, and then click the “View My Priority Points” link. Points can also be accessed by visiting CalBears.com/ViewMyPoints.
What happens if I do not donate or do not buy season tickets one year? Do I lose all my points?
By not making an annual donation or purchasing season tickets for a given sport, only those portions relating to consecutive years of donations or season tickets are lost. Points for lifetime donations, alumni, letterwinner status and volunteer activities are never lost.
I split season-tickets with someone else. Who gets the points?
It is important to know that season-ticket and donor accounts are created as an individual, and individual and spouse, or a business entity. Accounts may not be created for two or more individuals (i.e. siblings, neighbors, friends, parents, children, etc). to share. Therefore, priority points are awarded to the person whose name is on the donor/season-ticket account. For two individuals to earn points, both individuals must maintain separate accounts.
I cannot attend games anymore. Can I give my points to someone else?
No, priority points are non-transferable. Priority points are intended to represent an individual’s donation and ticket history with Cal Athletics. Transferring points to a new individual would unfairly elevate the new individual ahead of other long standing donors. If you know somebody who may want access to priority points in the future, the best course of action is for that person to begin his or her own donation and ticket history as soon as possible.