By
Gregory A. Volk
Executive Vice President
Gift
income from private sources* totaled $18.6 million, a 144 percent increase
from the $7.6 million received in 2004-05 and the second largest total in the
college’s history (surpassed only by the $21.2 million received in 1999-2000).
Major gifts from trustees and other friends for the Campus
Center and for expansion
of the Björklunden lodge swelled total gift receipts to this remarkable
level.
Uses of Funds Received
Of the $18.6 million received, $5.5 million was received in gifts directed
to the physical plant, principally for the Campus Center and Björklunden
expansion; $2.4 million for the endowment; and $1.4 million in life income
gifts. More than $5.8 million was recorded
as restricted current gifts. Gifts to The
Lawrence Fund reached $3.35 million,
and $32,769 was received in other budget-relieving gifts.
Bequest income totaled $1.05 million. Membership in the Lawrence-Downer
Legacy Circle, open to those who have made a bequest provision or other type of deferred
gift, grew to 662, versus 623 in 2004-05.
The Lawrence Fund
The majority of donors support the college by making gifts to The Lawrence
Fund, which provides direct and immediate support to the operating budget and
thus has a profound impact on the resources available to the teaching and learning
enterprise at Lawrence.
This past year, we secured $3,352,027 in Lawrence Fund gifts, slightly less
than the record-setting $3.431 million received in fiscal 2005. Trustee support
of The Lawrence Fund tallied $756,054, an increase from last year’s $726,483.
Membership in The Founders Club — donors
of $1,000 or more — grew to 753 members, a new record. Founders Club
members contributed $2.213 million — 66 percent of Lawrence Fund
gifts.
The Milestone Reunion Classes of 1956, 1966, 1981, and 1996 raised 10 percent
of all alumni Lawrence Fund gifts, and the Class of 1996 set a 10th Reunion
record, with $61,406 in gifts and pledges. The Classes of 1981, 1966, and 1956
tripled their Founders Club membership, with a grand total of 90 Founders Club
members.
Some 2,212 parents of current and former students contributed $206,268, and
over 3,200 friends contributed $163,900.
Gifts in support of operations at Björklunden totaled $255,898, from 1,175
donors, 392 of whom became members of The
Boynton Society with gifts of $250
or more.
Alumni Donor Participation Rate
The alumni donor participation rate slipped a bit, to 50.0 percent versus 51.4
percent last year, with 6,985 alumni donors versus 7,261 donors in 2004-05.
Lawrence prides itself on having one of the best alumni donor participation
rates in the country; it is an important
measure, and one we strive to increase each year.
Endowment and Physical Plant
Gifts to the endowment totaled $2.413 million, slightly ahead of last year’s
$2 million. More than $5.5 million was received in gifts for the physical plant,
including $2,827,149 in gifts for the Campus Center. The college received word
this past summer of a $15
million anonymous gift for the Campus Center project,
which brings that facility much closer to realization.
Extending the Reach: A Campaign for Björklunden has raised more
than $4 million in commitments to expand the lodge at the college’s northern
campus, including $2,417,305 in gifts this year. Construction began in September,
and the addition is scheduled for completion by June 1, 2007, in order to accommodate
the Björklunden Seminars summer program.
Conclusion
On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the students, faculty, and staff of
Lawrence University, it is my privilege to express our gratitude for the very
generous financial support received from Lawrence and Milwaukee-Downer alumni;
parents of current and former students; other friends of the college; and numerous
corporations, foundations, and organizations in 2005-06. Thank you.
* Although the figures here presented are in compliance with standards adopted by CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education) and NACUBO (National Association of College and University Business Officers), they differ from the presentation of gift income on the college’s financial statements. This report includes both gifts and payments on pledges received during 2005-06 but excludes new pledges received during the fiscal year. Financial-statement gift income, on the other hand, augments these numbers by the value of new pledges received during the year and reduces them by the value of payments made on pledges received in the prior fiscal year.