A FOUNDATION FOR AUBURN PHILANTHROPY As early as 1892, Auburn University alumni and friends rallied private, philanthropic support to benefit the institution and its students. As needs became more complex, fundraising more intentional, and transparency and stewardship more mainstream, university leaders recognized the need for a centralized fundraising program. The Auburn University Board of Trustees’ move to create an autonomous tax-exempt foundation to manage private funds donated for the university’s benefit represented Auburn’s first formal step to building a permanent
A FOUNDATION FOR PHILANTHROPY
development program. Incorporated on Feb. 9, 1960, the Auburn University Foundation’s primary objective was to encourage and solicit private gifts for the sole purpose of developing, supporting, and enhancing the educational interests and programs of Auburn University. Today, the foundation’s two dozen volunteer directors, working in tandem with Auburn’s fundraising professionals in its Office of Development, govern, organize, and manage all of the affairs, property, and business of the foundation.
A MISSION TO ENHANCE AUBURN The foundation’s mission is to generate continuously increasing • Provide fiduciary care for and invest the philanthropic support for Auburn University. It accomplishes foundation’s philanthropic assets for maximum this through the efforts of its volunteer board. These leaders: return consistent with acceptable risk • Provide assistance with development and fundraising activities
• Monitor and contain the cost of managing its endowments to provide maximum available resources in support of Auburn’s mission
• Motivate alumni, companies, foundations, friends, and other philanthropic partners to provide private funds and • Build and sustain a broad range of expertise and other resources to help the university become a global leader experience by recruiting directors of varying backgrounds and skills who enhance the board’s • Maximize private-sector support for Auburn to ability to generate significant philanthropic support enhance its position among elite, public, land-grant institutions
• Advise, consult with, and support the university’s president regarding fundraising activities
A TRADITION OF SERVICE For six decades, Auburn alumni and friends have provided the leadership vital to the foundation’s ability to achieve its mission. A volunteer board of no more than 27 voting and three non-voting, ex officio board members oversees the foundation’s efforts to manage, invest, and steward private gifts made by donors to support the university. The composition of the foundation board includes: • Executive governance through a regularly elected board chair and vice chair, along with a president who concurrently serves as Auburn’s vice president for development
To contact the Auburn University Foundation, please write or call:
Jane DiFolco Parker President, Auburn University Foundation Vice President for Development
317 South College Street, Auburn, Alabama 36849 334.844.1139 | janeparker@auburn.edu
• Committee chairs who, along with the board’s chair, vice chair, and president, form the board’s Executive Committee • Voting directors vetted through a nomination process, appointed for up to two four-year terms
To contact staff in Auburn University’s Office of Development, visit: develop.auburn.edu/contacts
www.auburnuniversityfoundation.org
• Ex officio members, including the Auburn University president, Auburn University at Montgomery chancellor, and Auburn Alumni Association board president
A STRATEGY FOR FUNDRAISING EXCELLENCE In order to accomplish its mission, the Auburn University Foundation has adopted a five-year strategic plan (2015 to 2019) that addresses the following six priorities: • Enhance fundraising and endowment growth • Focus on continued board development
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• Enhance public advocacy • Provide counsel as requested by university administration • Work with supporting organizations • Consistently employ best board governance practices
B E C AU S E@AU B U R N . E D U | B E C AU S E . AU B U R N . E D U Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution/employer.
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STORIES AND MILESTONES OF AUBURN PHILANTHROPY
THE
Auburn University Foundation will be a national leader among institutionally related foundations through its work in support of Auburn University and will serve as an exemplar of outstanding performance, effectiveness, and accountability for the philanthropic investments made in support of Auburn’s mission. For more Auburn University Foundation information and history, visit: WWW.AUBURNUNIVERSITYFOUNDATION.ORG
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1960
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1963
1974
The Auburn University Foundation incorporated on Feb. 9. Edmund C. Leach served as its first president and board chair until 1963.
Launched in 1959, the Auburn Development Fund fundraising drive concluded after raising $2.6 million and surpassing its original goal. Auburn designated more than $1 million of that to build a new nuclear science research and teaching center, which was named for Leach.
Dr. Ben S. Gilmer became the foundation’s second president and board chair and served until 1987 — making him the board’s longestserving volunteer leader.
1965
In cooperation with the Auburn Alumni Association, the Auburn University Foundation initiated the Auburn Annual Giving program, which raised $166,000 in its first year.
A $600,000 fund drive raised support to furnish the new School of Veterinary Medicine building. An $857,000 capital fund drive supported construction of a new School of Pharmacy building.
1975
On its 10th anniversary, the Auburn Annual Giving program reached a new single-year record of $541,000 in donations.
1976
An $11.2 million bequest from Eleanor Ritchey funded construction of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Scott-Ritchey Research Center and endowed support for its animal disease research.
1978
Solon and Martha Dixon donated 5,350 acres in Andalusia, Ala., as a forestry preserve to benefit educational, research, and outreach initiatives in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. It was the largest gift at the time from a living donor and remains Auburn’s largest real estate gift to date.
1979
The foundation established the Alumni Academic Scholarship program, Auburn’s first scholarship program based solely on academic merit.
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1985
Auburn concluded the Auburn Generations Fund campaign, launched in 1980, after exceeding its $61.7 million goal by nearly 80 percent. It was the first campaign by a public university in the South to exceed $100 million.
1986
Holland Ware’s $1 million gift to support the College of Veterinary Medicine’s cancer research led to the construction of the Holland Ware Imaging Center, and Auburn’s status as one of the first campuses in the country to have a CT scan, MRI, and linear accelerator in one location.
1987
The first phonathon raised funds for a new Auburn Alumni Center to serve as home to Auburn’s Office of Alumni Affairs and Office of Development, as well as the Auburn Alumni Association and Auburn University Foundation.
1988
Donors funded nearly a quarter of the $20.5 million, 380,000-square-foot expansion of the Ralph B. Draughon Library, which increased capacity to 2.5 million volumes and seating to 2,000, included a 345-vehicle parking deck, and led to the Libraries’ membership in the Association of Research Libraries.
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1992
Louise Hauss Miller’s collection of Audubon prints is donated by her grandchildren, Susan and Allen Phillips — along with a $1 million gift from the Louise Hauss Miller Foundation in support of their care and eventual display.
1994
The 1856 Society formed to recognize donors whose cumulative lifetime contributions exceed $100,000.
1996
Launched publicly in 1994, Campaign Auburn: The Next Generation concluded after exceeding its $175 million goal by 15 percent.
1998
The Samford Society formed to recognize donors whose cumulative lifetime contributions range from $25,000 to $99,000.
Drummond Company’s annual giving since 1998 has provided more than 500 students in the Honors College, College of Human Sciences, and School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences with scholarships and fellowships. Albert Smith Jr.’s $3 million gift toward the construction of the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art honored his 50-year marriage to wife Jule.
1999
The George Petrie Society formed to recognize donors who include Auburn or Auburn Montgomery in their estate plans.
2000s
2000
Wireless communications pioneer Samuel Ginn and wife Ann’s $25 million gift, the largest of its kind at the time to Auburn or any other Alabama university, created the first-of-its-kind wireless engineering degree and led to the naming of the college in Ginn’s honor.
2010s
2010
Launched in 2008, the Professorship Initiative campaign created 95 new endowed professorships.
2011
John and Rosemary Brown’s $10 million lead gift toward construction of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital honored their long-time friendship with former Auburn President Wilford Bailey and his wife, Cratus “Kate.”
2002
A $5 million gift from James I. Harrison Sr. and his family, for the School of Pharmacy’s academic programs, led to the naming of the school in their honor.
2013
Raymond and Kathryn Harbert’s $40 million gift transformed business education at Auburn and led to the naming of the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business.
2003
In recognition of Ida Belle Young’s $17 million bequest to support scholarships at Auburn Montgomery, AUM named its library tower in her honor.
2005
Sally Jones Hill was elected as the foundation’s first female president and board chair.
2014
The Foy Society formed to recognize donors for their loyal support through consecutive-year giving.
Alabama Power Company Foundation honored retiring APCO president and CEO Charles McCrary by donating $10 million to create the Charles D. McCrary Institute, focused on energy security and conservation research.
Fiscal year gifts and commitments exceeded $150 million for the first time.
Calendar year gifts and commitments exceeded $100 million for the first time.
2007
EBSCO Industries Inc.’s $1.5 million gift created the Learning Commons in the Ralph B. Draughon Library. The positive reception led EBSCO to commit an additional $1.5 million in support in 2014.
2008
Launched publicly in 2006, It Begins at Auburn concluded after exceeding its $500 million goal by more than 21 percent.
The market value of Auburn’s endowment exceeded $500 million for the first time.
2015
Thomas Gossom Jr. was elected as the foundation’s first African-American board chair.
With the launch of Because This is Auburn, a comprehensive campaign to raise $1 billion, Auburn received its largest gift to date — $57 million from John and Rosemary Brown — to fund a new performing arts center and an engineering student achievement center.
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