Despite continued economic woes, giving at Tufts remained strong in 2010 as the university's capital campaign enters its final year.
Beyond Boundaries: The Campaign for Tufts, a university-wide effort that raises funds for financial aid, endowed professorships, new research facilities, and initiatives in citizenship and public service, has raised over 90 percent of its $1.2 billion target, surpassing $1.1 billion in June, according to Director of Advancement Communications and Donor Relations Christine Sanni.
Over 41,000 individuals contributed to Tufts last year in the form of both small and large donations, according to Sanni.
"The Beyond Boundaries campaign is in a good position to meet the goal in 2011 as planned. Alumni and friends continue to make significant investments, and many say they are doing it because they are inspired by the university," Sanni said.
Director of Central Development Programs Christopher Simoneau said the capital campaign's strategy has focused on educating potential donors about the university, in order to encourage them to contribute.
Simoneau said the campaign's focus expands past university graduates. "We try to talk about the great people at Tufts and what students and faculty are interested in, and then try to find people who will support those interests. We care about broadening our base of support beyond just alumni," he said.
Several donors who were not alumni made major contributions to the university. Edward Lanciani left $1.5 million in a bequest to the Wildlife Clinic at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, and H. Jay and Marilyn Sarles made a $100,000 gift to help establish a new Master of Science in Conservation Medicine Program at the Cummings School, according to Sanni.
According to Senior Director of Development Shelley Rodman, the Cummings School faced a $3 million cut in annual appropriations from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, forcing it to rely more heavily on individual gifts.
"We are very glad that private support comes in even in hard times to keep the program robust," Rodman said. "It shows that people support this work, value the fact the people are preparing to become veterinarians and love Tufts in general."
Sanni also highlighted alumni fundraising drives in 2010 as a contributing factor to the capital campaign's success. The "Everyone Counts Reunion Challenge" increased donor participation among reunion classes, with more than 500 alumni making gifts to the university in the month preceding Alumni Weekend in May. Seven classes met the challenge's goal, contacting 50 new donors from their respective classes. In total, the event raised enough funds to create seven new $25,000 term scholarships, Sanni said.
Contributions to the university were not confined to undergraduate alumni. A record 96 percent of the dental school's Class of 2010 donated back to the school, a donation that will be matched by the Tufts University Dental Alumni Association and the Dean's Office, according to Sanni.
Simoneau noted that Tufts saw an increase in planned giving. "Planned gifts, through a charitable trust, gifts annuities or through a will, are ideal for donors who are uncertain about their needs for today but care about Tufts and want to make plans to contribute," Simoneau said.
The most prominent planned gift was that of trustee emeritus Edward H. Merrin (A '50) and his wife Vivian, who committed $30 million to support financial aid. The donation, which comes from the Merrins' estate, will create the Merrin-Bacow Fellows Scholarship Fund in honor of University President Lawrence Bacow.
Simoneau predicted an increase in donations inspired by Bacow because of his impending departure from the university.
"Next year, we will probably see more gifts in honor of Bacow because alums love him," Simoneau said. "This will help create scholarships to support students and faculty for the long term and is an investment that will be used year after year."
The Beyond Boundaries Campaign concludes in 2011. Beyond that date, Sanni said the university plans to continue to build donor support for financial aid programs.
"We will continue to support financial aid, which is ... what alumni want to support the most," Sanni said. "What we focused on in the past will be the same things to focus on in the future: great students and great faculty and generating support for them."
