Frequently Asked Questions
Updated October 30, 2009
Why is the Trinity College Fund (TCF) designated as the campaign’s highest priority?
There are two connected reasons for that priority designation. First, the TCF provides eight percent of each year’s College budget (up from five percent a decade ago). Imagine a Trinity that had eight percent less to spend. That would impact scholarships, academics, athletics, and virtually every important element of Trinity.
Second, the TCF gives every donor, regardless of his or her capacity to give, an opportunity to be a stakeholder in Trinity’s excellence. Large gifts are always great to receive, and they often get public acknowledgement. But we get thousands of gifts that are $25, $50, or $100. They amount to several million dollars yearly. We value all donors at every level. Supporting the TCF gives every donor a chance to make a tangible difference right now, today.
Why are alumni and parent gift participation rates so important?
The giving percentages of alumni and parents, respectively, are a tangible index of both pride and satisfaction. Equally important, those indices tell interested outside observers of Trinity that members of the Trinity family care deeply about the College and its values. And on the alumni side, whether or not we like the college rankings by U.S. News and World Report, the participation rate is in its calculus in rating colleges.
Has the campaign been affected by the present economy and upheavals in the financial markets?
Yes, it has been affected. Campaign gifts and gift commitments to Trinity in FY09 (the year that ended on June 30th) were approximately $30 million vs. $40 million in the prior year. The economic issues that beset all of us in 2008 and now in 2009 have certainly impeded campaign progress. On the other hand, the Trinity College Fund just set a new record with $8.67 million received, including records for both alumni contributions and parent contributions. Clearly, members of the Trinity family have a passion for Trinity and its mission. Key benefactors continue to invite dialogue on their philanthropy to Trinity and how they can impact teaching and learning. Read more about FY09 fundraising results.
Has Trinity contemplated closing the campaign in view of the present economic environment?
As challenging as the past 18 months have been, we still remain committed to a very ambitious campaign and what its success will mean for students, the campus, and the educational opportunities that help define Trinity. The Trustees, President Jones and his senior team, and key campus committees are taking a careful look at the College’s budget because of the expected shortfall of endowment income precipitated by the decline in the value of Trinity’s endowment. The strategic planning and goal setting that will be the outcome of that process will surely yield changes to the campaign’s ambitions and needs. We anticipate far more clarity by January 2010.
What about the campus improvement goals of the current campaign? What are the short-term plans?
As noted in our April 30, 2009 update, the Long Walk Renovation and Restoration has been an unqualified success. However, we continue to need $3 million in philanthropy to complete the financing for that project.
The intended expansion of Austin Arts, projected to cost roughly $70 million in today’s dollars, is now being re-analyzed. That project would have blended private gifts with debt borrowing. Neither the present philanthropic marketplace, nor Trinity’s ability to borrow (given a depressed endowment value of late) suggests that this is an optimum time to proceed. At the same time, Trinity’s facilities needs in the arts are well-defined and long overdue for attention.
The College’s aspirations in the sciences are in the same predicament. The construction of science facilities is very expensive. Still, our science facilities are not up to the standards of excellence set by the Trustees and our faculty.
The Trustee Planning Committee is at work assessing our ambitions and options. Simultaneously, the campaign staff is assessing the giving capacities and inclinations of prospective donors. The process of evaluation and planning will be deliberate – indeed, cautious – before new decisions are made.
Are there new needs emerging or chronic needs that continue to demand gift-giving attention?
Given Trinity’s resource base, the College continues to grapple with having enough financial aid to meet the demonstrated needs of current and future students. Our 36 percent rate of students on need-based financial aid ranks us in the bottom three among NESCAC institutions. New financial aid gifts will always be a high priority.
On the other hand, providing new resources for Career Services is an emerging need. That is a chronically underfunded area taking on more importance for students and their families.
How is Trinity faring in fundraising compared to our collegiate peers?
Recent comparisons with Trinity’s peers show general encouragement with one notable exception. Among NESCAC colleges, only Trinity and Hamilton had annual funds that raised more money this year than last year. In total giving among NESCAC peers, only Bowdoin raised more money than Trinity this year. The Bantams outpaced Amherst, Middlebury, Wesleyan, and Williams, among others, in total gifts. Nationwide, very few colleges and universities posted philanthropic gains in FY09. Trinity was a remarkable exception to that trend!
The only disappointment was the level of alumni participation that dropped from 55 percent a year ago to 47 percent for the year just ended. We know there were economic reasons for that decline. We plan to work very hard to restore the 55 percent participation level in FY10.
Read more about FY09 fundraising results.
How much is Trinity’s endowment?
As of September 30, 2009, the value of Trinity’s endowment is estimated at $327 million. Like most college and university endowments, Trinity’s endowment has been negatively impacted by declines in the investment markets during the past year. The June 30, 2008, value of Trinity’s endowment was $413.5 million.
What is the Legacy Campaign and how does it relate to the Cornerstone Campaign?
The Legacy Campaign, chaired by former Trinity Trustee Ray Joslin '58,
is an important complement to the Cornerstone Campaign. The Legacy Campaign is focused on the many estate-planning provisions made by alumni, parents, and friends of Trinity. Since its launch in July 2006, over $35 million in bequest intentions have been documented.
For more information about the Legacy Campaign, please contact Eve Forbes, director of gift planning, 860-297-5353 or eve.forbes@trincoll.edu. Or visit http://www.trincoll.planyourlegacy.org/legacycampaign.php.