Get Inspired
In a year like this, when endowments produce less revenue to operate campus, the Annual Fund matters more than ever for W&L's students and professors.
The members of W&L's Board of Trustees have joined together to significantly increase their Annual Fund support. To inspire all alumni, parents and friends of W&L to join them, they have issued the Trustees' Annual Fund Challenge. If you give to the Annual Fund, they'll give more. Click on the links at left to learn how the challenge works and how you can participate.
- If you did not make a gift to the Annual Fund last year, this is a great time to contribute. For every dollar you give, the trustees will increase their gift by a dollar.
- If you did support Washington and Lee last year, please renew your gift now. If possible, consider joining the trustees in adding to what you gave last year. For every dollar you increase your gift, the trustees will increase their gift by a dollar.
- Every gift makes a difference -- especially this year. If half of Washington and Lee's alumni support the Annual Fund this year with gifts of any amount, the trustees will add another $50,000 to the Annual Fund. That would be equivalent to providing tuition, room and board for one student for one year.
Make a Gift
The most important way to participate is by making a gift to the Annual Fund. There are many convenient ways to make a gift. For any size gift you make, the trustees will give additional monies to the Annual Fund.
But there are some compelling reasons you should consider making the most generous gift that is appropriate for you.
- If you didn't give to the Annual Fund last year, when you make a gift now the trustees will match the entire amount of your gift.
- If you gave last year, when you increase your gift this year the trustees will match the amount of your increase.
Whatever the size of your gift, it is very important that you give. If 50% of W&L alumni support the Annual Fund this year, the trustees will add another $50,000 to the fund. That would be equivalent to tuition, room and board for one student.
Last year, 46% of alumni made a gift to the Annual Fund. W&L needs your participation to reach this goal.
The Living Endowment
The Annual Fund is an important part of W&L's budget that is financed each year by gifts from donors. The Annual Fund usually provides about 8% of W&L's budget. Annual Fund dollars are flexible and W&L uses these dollars to operate the campus on a day-to-day basis.
Every student and professor and every corner of campus benefits from the Annual Fund. The Annual Fund equips W&L's science and computer labs, builds the library collections, and maintains W&L's historic buildings and grounds, to name just a few things.
Tuition dollars only cover about 59% of the cost of educating W&L's students. Amazingly, the remaining 41% of W&L's budget is provided by donors, through endowments they have supported, and through their yearly gifts to the Annual Fund.
Without the Annual Fund, each student's tuition bill would increase by over $2,500 each year.
The Annual Fund is sometimes called the "living endowment." Annual Fund dollars are expended in the year they are given to educate today's students. To put in perspective the importance of the Annual Fund, it would take over $137 million in endowment dollars to equal the amount contributed by alumni and friends to last year's Annual Fund ($6.8 million).
This year W&L seeks to raise $6.9 million in gifts to the Annual Fund. The deadline to contribute to this year's fund is June 30, 2009.
Your Gift Matters
You may feel that if you can only make a small gift to the Annual Fund, it does not make much difference whether you participate. Quite to the contrary, the mere act of participation has great consequences.
If half of Washington and Lee alumni support the Annual Fund this year with gifts of any amount, the trustees will personally add another $50,000 to the fund. That would provide tuition, room and board for one student for one year. By making even a modest gift, your participation will help achieve this greater result.
Please do not take it for granted that W&L will achieve this goal without your help. Last year only 46% of alumni made a gift to the Annual Fund. W&L needs each past donor to support the fund again, and needs many new donors to reach the goal of 50% participation.
A Message from the President
The members of Washington and Lee's Board of Trustees have, like all of us, been affected significantly by the economic downturn. Even in these uncertain times, and especially because of these uncertain times, they have collectively stepped forward and substantially increased their Annual Fund gift.
Trustees cannot carry the burden alone, but they can inspire others, like you and me, to join them. To that end, they have issued the Trustees' Annual Fund Challenge. I hope you will explore this website to learn more about this opportunity, how it helps Washington and Lee, and how you can be a part of it.
You know best the value of what occurs here. As a student, you were immersed in Washington and Lee's core values of honor, personal integrity and civility. I would venture that these are still the bedrock of your life and professional career. Making a gift to the Annual Fund, this year especially, is a strong affirmation of those values. Please consider making your gift today.
Read the full text of President Ruscio's message.
