The Dartmouth College Fund received 40,906 donations, raising $159.1 million -- a record $39.1 million came in the form of unrestricted gifts -- over the course of the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2007. According to Vice President for Development Carrie Pelzel, the high level of participation reflects the ongoing efforts of the Campaign for the Dartmouth Experience, which aims to raise $1.3 billion by December of 2009.
This year's total was just under the $160.3 million raised in the previous fiscal year and keeps the College on pace to reach the target goal of the largest campaign in Dartmouth history. As of the end of June, the Campaign for the Dartmouth Experience had raised $877.3 million, or 67.2 percent of the $1.3 billion goal, over 66.7 percent of the campaign duration.
Fifty-one percent of alumni, 30,864 in total, contributed to the DCF. The Class of 1957, which recently celebrated its 50th reunion, had the highest percent participation with 91.3 percent of the class contributing towards the DCF. The 25th-anniversary Class of 1982 raised the most money, which included $6 million in unrestricted giving. Dartmouth's most recent graduates "set a standard," in the words of Pelzel, as the Class of 2007 reached an 80 percent level of participation.
The money raised by the DCF benefits all aspects of Dartmouth life, including financial aid, faculty research and the construction of new residence halls and academic buildings. Dartmouth's three professional schools are also a part of the fundraising efforts.
The record level of unrestricted gift giving exceeds last year's $30.7 million total by 27 percent.
Pelzel explained that between nine and 10 percent of the overall student experience, both in and out of the classroom, is financed by unrestricted gifts.
"If we didn't have those unrestricted gifts, we would have to cut back nine to 10 percent of everything that you students experience," Pelzel said.
Of the total revenue raised, 15 percent came from foundations and corporations. The major corporate contributors were General Electric, Exxon Mobile, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs, while the Howard Hughes Medical Center, Mellon Foundation and Ford Foundation also made significant donations. An additional $1.99 million came in the form of matching gifts.
When asked whether the current state of alumni politics might have affected campaign success, Pelzel acknowledged that fundraising conditions were not ideal, but that the level of alumni support spoke for itself.
"There is certainly some controversy, and yet there remain thousands and thousands of alumni that, despite that controversy, care enough about the institution, believe enough in the institution to step and make gifts," Pelzel said. "If we could continue to move beyond some of the controversy, I feel we could do even better."
