In 2016–2017, annual giving was strong across Yale College and all of Yale’s graduate and professional schools, as alumni, parents, and friends contributed $38.2 million. Donors make a tangible difference in the lives of Yale students and faculty when they give to the Alumni Fund. These annual contributions are put to use immediately, helping to fund financial aid, maintain facilities, enable professors to develop cross-disciplinary courses, and underwrite student activities.
Giving to the Yale College Alumni Fund attained a new all-time high of over $21.3 million, and the Parents Annual Fund raised over $3.4 million—also a new record. The Yale School of Management Alumni Fund beat its previous record, raising over $3.5 million and achieving a 53 percent participation rate. And the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies had its most successful year to date, securing new records for both annual dollars and donors, $322,518 and 1,253 respectively.
Recognizing a legacy of philanthropy
Since its inauguration in 1890, the Yale Alumni Fund has been defined by its active, engaged volunteers and the generous participation of annual donors. This loyal community, comprised of alumni, parents, and friends, is excited to be an integral part of the day-to-day life at the university. In 2016–2017, more than 2,000 class chairs and agents volunteered for Yale College, the Graduate School, and the professional schools, helping to secure current use funds for the university.
A milestone example of alumni generosity is the unprecedented intergenerational gift from the Class of 1917 to the Class of 2017. The gift originated fifty years ago, when members of the Class of 1917 assembled for their 50th reunion and created a fund that would benefit students of 2017. Although they had no way of knowing what the makeup of the Class of 2017 would be, they believed that today’s students would be deserving of their generosity.
The Class of 1917 gift was added to last year’s senior class gift. “This contribution definitely inspired us and all of our volunteers and donors to really promote the crucial role the Alumni Fund plays in our everyday lives as students,” said Lexi Butler ’17, who served as one of four senior class gift campaign co-chairs.
Along with $17,189.88 raised by students, this contribution brought the 2017 senior class gift to $678,652.34, the largest in Yale’s history.
Students and alumni give back through challenges
Additional highlights throughout the year included special events and challenges that inspired enthusiastic support of Yale.
- On September 27, 2016, Yale students celebrated the generosity of university donors at the sixth annual Elihu Day. At stations across the campus, hundreds of students completed handwritten thank-you cards that were mailed to Yale alumni and parents who had contributed to the university. Sponsored by the Yale Alumni Fund, this day of thanks recognizes alumni, parents, and friends who help the university meet its most essential needs—including financial aid, teaching and research, collections support, and renewal of the campus.
- In spring 2017, hundreds of volunteers rallied for the annual Bulldog Blitz, an eleven-day outreach effort to boost participation in annual giving. There were also two “pop-up” matching challenges that helped urge broad participation: one at the halfway mark sponsored by Hilary Bates ’86 and another on the last day of the challenge by David Schamis ’95. The final result was 2,028 new annual gifts and pledge payments, totaling $1,017,458.
- The second annual Sprint for Financial Aid was held this past June—a challenge that encourages Yale College alumni to support financial aid through the Alumni Fund. Volunteers and staff reached out to alumni, highlighting current students who benefitted from financial aid through videos and personal statements. The successful initiative netted $761,358 from 654 alumni. As an added incentive, Yale trustee Kevin Ryan ’85, founder and chair of MongoDB and Zola and former chair of GILT, matched dollar for dollar gifts made to the Alumni Fund during a one-day challenge.