It is a pleasure to report to you on the College’s fundraising performance for fiscal year 2006-2007. Thanks to the generous support of trustees, alumnae/i, parents, students, faculty, staff, friends, and foundations, Sarah Lawrence reached the second largest fundraising total in its history, and the impact will be felt for years to come. What is truly heartening is that not only did we raise a remarkable sum of money—$14.73 million in gifts and pledges—but the funds also were allocated in proportion to our two critical needs: annual operating support and the endowment.

As a key revenue source for the College’s operating budget, gifts for the Fund for Sarah Lawrence and Strategic Initiatives are vital to the College’s continued excellence. Our goals are set high in these areas to ensure that annually we are providing adequate resources for:

• the most effective technology
• scholarships for our neediest students
• salary and research support for the faculty
• funds for the upkeep and maintenance of our beautiful campus

When you give to FSL, be assured that you are attending to the very essentials that make SLC unique and relevant in the here and now.

“‘This year, every year…’ is a mantra we need each and every person to help instill in the SLC community!”

The Fund surpassed its previous all-time high and provided more than $3 million in unrestricted support for the College. We also secured more than $865,000 in multi-year pledges for the Fund, ensuring significant revenue into the future and increasing our retention of donors for years to come. If we are to continue this trend, retention of donors is essential. Though the participation rate is 34 percent this year, in the last five years more than 50 percent of our alums have given, just not every year. “This year, every year…” is a mantra we need each and every person to help instill in the SLC community!

The cornerstone of our Strategic Initiatives fundraising was the College’s first large-scale benefit, which honored retiring President Michele Tolela Myers. More than $700,000 was raised for the scholarship fund to celebrate Michele’s nine-year tenure and her many accomplishments at Sarah Lawrence. An additional $350,000 was pledged for the endowment of the Joan H. Marks Graduate Program in Human Genetics in her honor.

Our biggest push for the year was to raise funds for the endowment in response to a highly competitive 3:1 challenge grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for endowed faculty support. Michele led the effort to meet the challenge by December 2006 and secured a $3 million grant from the Mellon Foundation, raising nearly $14 million in total to establish faculty chairs every three years in perpetuity.

Celebrating this extraordinary year, on all accounts, begins with recognition of all of you. As a community of donors, you came together, and we must replicate that commitment year after year. The bar has been raised, and we are determined to build on that momentum. Each and every one of you can help Sarah Lawrence sustain its unique pedagogy and build on its longstanding reputation as a rigorous, progressive, and dynamic institution that has a proven track record of transforming people’s lives.

A college is as strong as its supporters, and we will continue to call upon you as we advance the Sarah Lawrence agenda.

We have heard many of you describe your years at Sarah Lawrence as a time to take risks, to reach and to test limits. This passion is exactly what motivates us to strive for the well-deserved resources the College needs to continue being the best at what it does. Equally rewarding is that it is an investment that not only sustains the College now, but also will nurture it for future generations.

The lists you will see on the following pages recognize those who contributed to last year’s success. On behalf of the students, faculty, and administration, thank you for your support. Any and all gifts show your appreciation of Sarah Lawrence. Our community of donors is as individualized as all other aspects of the Sarah Lawrence education—what you share, however, is a sense of pride in Sarah Lawrence, and for that we thank you.

Sincerely,

Suzanne M. Murphy
Vice President for College Resources