Hurricane Club
Hurricane Club Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I give to the Hurricane Club?How much should I contribute?What benefits do I receive for being a Hurricane Club member?What methods of contributing are available?Are there other ways to contribute to the Athletic Department?Is my donation tax-deductible?When is my Hurricane Club membership due?What benefits will I receive if I pledge an amount that is not specified?How long will it take to receive my benefits?Can I use a corporate matching gift to increase my contribution?How can I purchase Hurricane Football Season tickets in a donor section?How long does my Hurricane Club membership last?Can I transfer my Hurricane Club membership to another person?How do I update my address with the Hurricane Club and Hurricane Ticket Office?Can Hurricane Club members travel to away games?I don’t live in Miami and/or Florida, are there regional Hurricane Club chapters that host events?What donation level guarantees a parking pass at the Orange Bowl?Can I get a refund on my donation?What is the Courtesy Car Program?What if I did not finish paying off my pledge from last year?Why is my credit card gift not processed immediately?
| Question | Answer |
| Why should I give to the Hurricane Club? | Contributions by Hurricane Club members provide educational opportunities for the quality young men and women representing the University of Miami in athletic competition and the community. Currently, almost 75% of Miami’s student-athletes receive athletic scholarship support from the Hurricane Club, many of whom would be unable to benefit from the college experience without your support.
UM Athletics rely on these charitable contributions from donors to keep its programs at a championship level. All donations play a vital role in the continued expansion of the student-athlete scholarship fund. As scholarship costs continue to rise, (costs have increased from $5 million/year to over $8 million/year in the past three years) private gifts to the Hurricane Club have become increasingly important as our lifeline. |
| How much should I contribute? | The Hurricane Club offers a number of different giving levels for you to choose from to maximize your commitment to our student-athletes. Each level offers a variety of benefits as a reward for your giving. The Hurricane Club is composed of ten levels of membership, ranging from the Living Scholar Level of at least $15,000/year to the Loyalty Level at $50/year. |
| What benefits do I receive as a reward for my contribution? | For a summary of Hurricane Club benefits, click on the Table of Benefits. All memberships must be paid in full by December 31st of the current giving year. In addition, other deadline dates apply to receive priority for football season tickets, parking availability, and bowl game priority. Please see the front page for important dates. |
| What methods of contributing are available? | Direct gifts are the most popular way of contributing to the Hurricane Club. They are made in the form of cash, stock, checks or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express). As a donor, you have the option of contributing once annually or periodically throughout the year.
In addition, the Hurricane Club qualifies for most charitable matching gift programs, a great way to increase your commitment and benefit package through your employer. Please contact your employer’s Human Resources Department for specific information regarding your company’s specific matching gift program. University of Miami faculty/staff may also pay membership through payroll deduction. Payment is taken out every pay period, usually on a monthly basis. For more information, or if you would like to sign up for payroll deduction, please contact the Hurricane Club at (305) 284-6699. |
| Are there other ways to contribute to the Athletic Department? | While the Hurricane Club is dedicated to providing funds for student-athlete scholarships, there are many ways and multiple projects in which you can contribute to the Athletic Department and the advancement of UM Athletics. Endowments, Capital Gifts to Fund Specific Projects and Planned Giving allow you to donate in a variety of ways. Please contact Brian Cockerham or Harold Robaina at the Hurricane Club at (305) 284-6699 for further information. |
| Is my donation tax-deductible? | Current federal income tax laws allow a charitable donation of 80 percent of a contribution to an educational institution where, as a result, the contributor receives right to purchase seating for home athletic events. Please consult your tax advisor for additional information.
Additionally, it is the responsibility of each donor to report to the IRS the cost of any additional benefits that are received as a part of his or her membership level. |
| When is my Hurricane Club membership due? | For Hurricane Football priority, 50% of your pledge must be paid by May 31st. The remaining 50% must be paid in full by August 1st.
Donations not tied to Hurricane Football seating priority are due in full by December 31st of the current calendar year. For your convenience, donations can be paid in installments. Upon request, the Hurricane Club will assist you with reminders to update your pledge balance. |
| What benefits will I receive if I pledge an amount that is not specified? | All donations to the Hurricane Club are vitally important. However, in order to receive the benefits associated with a certain level of giving, the full amount of that level must be donated to redeem your reward for giving. |
| How long will it take to receive my benefits? | The typical timeframe is two weeks. |
| Can I use a corporate matching gift to increase my contribution? | Yes! First, check with your employer’s Human Resources Department to ensure your company will match a contribution to the University of Miami Hurricane Club. If you are eligible through your employer, you can use a matching gift to increase your giving level. For example, if Sebastian contributes $300 and his company offers a 1:1 matching gift program, Sebastian is able to contribute at the $600 Green Club Level – $300 personal gift, $300 corporate match.
Please note some matching gifts for student-athlete scholarships are matched at less than 100% of the requested amount. In these instances, it is the Hurricane Club member’s responsibility to pay the unmatched outstanding balance to reach the desired giving level. |
| How can I purchase Hurricane Football season tickets in a donor section? | As a member of the Hurricane Club, you have the opportunity to receive priority seating at the Orange Bowl. Your current giving level to the Hurricane Club determines Orange Bowl seating locations. Current season ticket holders are allowed to renew their Hurricane Club donations in conjunction with their season tickets. Should current season ticket holders choose not to renew or miss the renewal deadline, current Hurricane Club members requesting tickets/upgrades are given priority to purchase season tickets dependant upon their level of giving. To order tickets, contact the Hurricane Ticket Office at (305) 284-2263. |
| How long does my Hurricane Club membership last? | Your Hurricane Club membership operates on a calendar year. All benefits, regardless of what month you donate, will be applied for the calendar year of your donation. |
| Can I transfer my Hurricane Club membership to another person? | The Hurricane Club considers a married couple to be joint members. Therefore, if one spouse passes away, or is otherwise unable to maintain the membership, the other spouse is eligible to maintain the membership and the associated benefits. The Hurricane Club does not allow memberships to be transferred to other individuals including, but not limited to, non-related persons, siblings or children.
The rationale behind this policy is the Hurricane Club’s obligation of fairness to its members. Often times, memberships have priority seating related to their account. By allowing memberships, and therefore seats, to be passed down generations, members who donate have essentially been “locked out” of seats in favor of a person who may not have donated in support of student-athlete scholarships. |
| How do I update my address with the Hurricane Club and Hurricane Ticket Office? | Click here to complete a “Hurricane Club Account Update” form and return by e-mail to hurricaneclub@miami.edu or fax your update to 305-284-3838. Please make sure to include your name, former address, current address, current email & phone numbers. |
| Can Hurricane Club members travel to away games? | Hurricane Club members at the $150 level and above are entitled to purchase tickets to away contests as well as conference tournaments and bowl games dependant upon your giving level (subject to ticket availability at the venue). For some away contests, travel packages are set up for Hurricane Club members to travel with fellow Hurricane fans. Bowl packages are also available each year. |
| Where are regional Hurricane Club chapters located? | The Hurricane Club has eight regional chapters in Florida and a club in Atlanta. In addition, we have club members throughout the United States that get together for watch parties and events. Click here for a link to our web page for information on our chapters or contact us at (305) 284-6699 and a member of the Hurricane Club staff will be able to connect you the Hurricane Club in your area. |
| What donation level guarantees a parking pass at the Orange Bowl? | Currently, to receive parking at the Orange Bowl, priority is given to donors at the $600 level and above. For the 2004 season, donors and season ticket holders will be given the opportunity to renew their parking pass with the appropriate donation as determined by the Athletic Department. Should they choose not to renew, only donors at the suitable levels will be given the opportunity to purchase a parking pass. |
| Can I get a refund on my donation? | As a charitable organization, the Hurricane Club does not issue refunds. All donations play a crucial role in the lives and development of our outstanding group of student-athletes, and are considered a charitable contribution. |
| What is the Courtesy Car Program? | It is a program that allows area car dealers to become members of the Hurricane Club by donating a vehicle to the Department of Athletics, while in return receiving a great benefit package that includes tremendous visibility as a supporter of the ‘Canes. To find out more information about the Courtesy Car Program, please contact Robyn Fink at 305-284-6699. |
| What if I did not finish paying off my pledge from last year? | Any money that you currently give would first go toward completing that pledge and subsequently to the new year’s pledge. |
| Why is my credit card gift not processed immediately? | The Hurricane Club collects contributions made by credit card, however, it does not process credit cards itself. For tax purposes, the University of Miami Advancement Office does all actual credit card processing. Because the UM Advancement Office also processes gifts made to other University of Miami colleges and units, there can sometimes be a delay in the processing of a Hurricane Club member’s credit card gift.
If you have a question as to whether or not your credit card gift hasbeen received by the Hurricane Club, call the office at (305) 284-6699. |
