Private Fundraising

Fiscal year 2011 private support down slightly from previous year

For the fiscal year 2011, the College of William & Mary received gifts from more than 28,600 individuals including organizations and corporations,  which is an all-time record. The previous record for giving to the College during a single fiscal year was 27,709 in 2010.

In addition to the increase of individual donors, the College broke records in alumni giving—both graduate and undergraduate donors. The success of alumni participation was, in part, due to the success of the “Beat the Record” challenge, which was initiated to surpass a previous record for undergraduate alumni giving. To meet the “Beat the Record” challenge, the College tapped into social media, word-of-mouth and traditional  communication tools to encourage giving. The success of “Beat the Record” resulted in an all-time record of undergraduate alumni donors, 13,823, or 23.9 percent of the overall undergraduate alumni population. The previous record for undergraduate alumni who gave to William & Mary during a  single fiscal year was 13,451.

Giving for Fiscal 2011

The College raised $41.1 million, which is down from 2010’s total. The annual volatility compared to 2010 in the overall totals was created, in part, by fewer realized bequests. In fiscal 2010, the College received $10 million from bequests. In fiscal 2011, that number was $2 million.

Despite the $8  million less received in realized bequests, the College saw organic growth in the fundraising program, which includes gains in pledges, gifts and the number of donors during fiscal 2011.

Classes in reunion years remain an important source for participation and overall giving to the College. The Class of 1961, celebrating its 50th reunion, raised $4.2 million, which included support for the Brafferton Renewal and Preservation Project and the Alumni House Operating Endowment. The 5th through 45th reunion classes raised $8.9 million from 2,845 donors (representing 28 percent participation) between July 2009 and October 2010. Six classes exceeded their overall reunion gift goals: 1975, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005.

Circle of Excellence

The College’s fundraising and alumni engagement efforts have again been recognized for excellence. For the second consecutive year, William & Mary was recognized for having one of the nation’s best fundraising programs among public and private colleges and universities and is the recipient of the 2011 CASE Award for Educational Excellence. The award recognizes superior fundraising programs across the country and is a component of CASE’s Circle of Excellence program.

The College received an Overall Performance award based on the past three years of fundraising activity. Judges also considered the pattern of growth in total support, the pattern of growth in each program area and the total of support in relation to the alumni base of the institution.