The Dartmouth College Budget

November 2004

Philanthropy (Dartmouth College Fund, Bequests and Other Gifts):

The generosity of friends and alumni was evident as Dartmouth celebrated its most successful fund-raising year ever, with $118.1 million in charitable gifts, nearly one-third more than it received in 2003. The Dartmouth College Fund (DCF) exceeded expectations by $6 million for a total of $31.45 million. A total of 35,845 alumni, parents, friends, foundations and corporations gave to the College. Alumni participation in the DCF increased by 2 percent to 47.4 percent.

The College relies on the tireless efforts of volunteers and the loyalty and generosity of Dartmouth alumni and friends for short- and long-term support of the College.  Expendable gifts amounted to $52.7 million, or 9.3 percent of total operating revenues, compared to the fiscal 2003 total of $47.9 million, or 8.9 percent of total operating revenues. The College also relies on additional gifts to support the continued growth of the endowment, which is critical for the College to realize its strategic priorities. Such gifts provide the initial infusion of funds that are available for long-term investment in the College's endowment.    

The second and final year of the "quiet phase" of the Campaign for the Dartmouth Experience concluded on June 30, 2004, with receipts totaling $118.1 million* - an all-time high for Dartmouth. Accelerated giving in the early stages of a campaign is essential to achieving an ambitious goal by the end of the campaign period.  During the quiet phase, the commitments and payments received from members of the Board of Trustees, key leadership donors, and special friends of the College set the pace for a record-setting year for Dartmouth.

Additionally, the Dartmouth College Fund recorded its own best-ever year by realizing $31.5 million in unrestricted giving, while the Parents Fund achieved a new record of $1.2 million. Alumni remain the source of the largest percentage of gifts to Dartmouth.

Corporate gifts rose by 43 percent ($9.4 million vs. $6.6 million) while foundation gifts were almost identical to 2003 ($7.5 million vs. $7.6 million).

* The $118.1 million reported by Development differs from the $112.5 million reported in the financial statements principally due to differences in accounting presentation of certain private grants and deferred giving arrangements.