In 1995, the University of Pennsylvania founded the Charles Custis Harrison Society as a way to provide ongoing thanks and to acknowledge the generosity of all who have named Penn as a beneficiary of a will, living trust, retirement plan, or life insurance policy, or have set up a life income gift that benefits Penn in the future.
Giving Societies
Giving societies celebrate the collective impact of a community connected through philanthropy and engagement. Members of the Charles Custis Harrison Society, the Benjamin Franklin Society, and the Ivy Stone Society exemplify how legacy planning, leadership annual giving, and sustained undergraduate support—respectively—amplify Penn’s ability to create a dynamic, diverse environment of living and learning, while harnessing the power of knowledge to improve lives around the globe.
Charles Custis Harrison Society
Benjamin Franklin Society
Founded in 1955, the Benjamin Franklin Society (BFS) is the University’s leadership unrestricted annual giving group. These distinguished donors make gifts and pledge payments of $2,500 or more to annual giving funds across the University in a given fiscal year.
Ivy Stone Society
Founded in 2007, the Ivy Stone Society is a giving group that recognizes Penn undergraduate alumni who make consecutive gifts of any amount to The Penn Fund for three or more years. Just as every graduating class counts on placing their Ivy Stone on campus as part of the Ivy Day tradition, The Penn Fund can count on members of the Ivy Stone Society to demonstrate their commitment to the University every fiscal year (July 1–June 30).
- Diamond Member: 25+ years of consecutive giving
- Platinum Member: 25+ years of cumulative giving and at least three years of consecutive giving
- Gold Member: 15-24 years of consecutive giving
- Silver Member: 10-14 years of consecutive giving
- Bronze Member: 3-9 years of consecutive giving