Annual Fund Tops $9M Generous alumni, parents and friends contributed approximately $9.2 million to W&L's Annual Fund in the 2020-21 fiscal year.
Despite a challenging year on many fronts, Advancement moved forward with raising funds and acquiring donors, and Washington and Lee alumni, parents and friends contributed generously to the university. The Annual Fund raised a total of approximately $9.2 million. Overall, the 2020-21 fiscal year ended with nearly $27 million in new commitments, gifts and estate intentions. More than 9,000 undergraduate alumni, law alumni, parents and friends supported the university with cash gifts. The first priority of the Strategic Plan was also completed by raising $7 million dollars for the Harte Center — a state-of-the-art teaching and learning center named in memory of alumnus Houston H. Harte ’50.
And in a challenging year, there are new records! Three previous records were broken by this year’s reunion classes ending in one and six.
- The Class of 1996 now holds the 25th reunion record for multi-year commitments to the Annual Fund with $917,150 and the overall 25th reunion giving total with giving over $4.7 million.
- The Class of 2001 broke the 20th reunion record for multi-year commitments by securing $909,842.
Annual Fund volunteers totaled 498, including Annual Fund Council members, class agents, reunion volunteers and the senior class gift committee. This translated into 22 classes finishing the year at or above 40% participation. Law had 262 volunteers, including Law Council members, class agents and the Young Alumni Council. The Parents Leadership Council had 67 volunteers.
Directed giving was introduced last July, allowing donors to directly support academics, diversity and inclusion, financial and student opportunities. The Undergraduate Annual Fund also allows directed support of arts and athletics. Directed giving presents an opportunity for donors to direct their gift to an area most meaningful in their W&L experience.
For the Undergraduate Annual Fund and the Law Fund, the category directed to area of greatest need remains the largest area funded. The six new areas introduced for the Undergraduate Annual Fund represent just over 10% of the funds raised while the four new areas for the Law Fund represent 8% of the funds raised. Financial aid, followed by academics, are the highest funded areas for both undergraduate and law.
We are incredibly grateful for your support and leadership and look forward to welcoming alumni and parents back on campus.
