Frequently Asked Questions

Questions

What is the Annual Fund?
Who gives to the Annual Fund?
What does ‘unrestricted’ mean?
Doesn't tuition cover the cost of education?
How much does the Annual Fund contribute to Lewis & Clark?
Will my gift make a difference?
Why should I support the Annual Fund?
When is the impact from each gift felt?

Myths

The College has an endowment; it doesn't need any more money.
I paid tuition during my four years, so I've already given enough money.
My gift won't make a difference.
My participation doesn't matter.

What is the Annual Fund? It provides annual support for all aspects of Lewis & Clark, including financial aid, overseas study, academics, and athletics.

Who gives to the Annual Fund? Donors include alumni, parents, and friends of Lewis & Clark, as well as foundations, corporations and employer matching gift programs.

What does ‘unrestricted’ mean? Unrestricted gifts go immediately where they are needed most — to the library to purchase books, to residence life to fund a social activity, or to the chemistry department to purchase laboratory supplies.

Doesn't tuition cover the cost of education? At Lewis & Clark, as at most colleges, the cost of education is higher than tuition. Tuition covers 88 percent of the cost at L&C. The remaining 12 percent comes from endowment income and gifts from parents, alumni, and friends of the College. In 2006-2007, approximately 78 percent of undergraduate students received some form of financial aid – thanks in part to our donors.

How much does the Annual Fund contribute to Lewis & Clark? About 32% of the total gifts received by the College come from the Annual Fund, or roughly $1,200,000. The College receives approximately 7 percent of our $49 million in revenue from gifts and philanthropic support each year.

Will my gift make a difference? Your gift of any size has a tremendous impact, helping talented students attend Lewis & Clark, sustaining the high quality of the curriculum, and providing other vital support for the College’s day-to-day excellence.

Why should I support the Annual Fund? The Annual Fund helps to provide a Lewis & Clark education to talented students. Each year L&C spends almost 20 percent of operating costs on student financial aid to ensure that liberal arts education is accessible to students who have the interest, ambition, and academic potential, but not necessarily the financial resources to attend the College.

When is the impact from each gift felt? Immediately. Each gift goes directly to where the College needs it most — to support the library, residence life, or one of many other Lewis & Clark programs.

Myths

The College has an endowment; it doesn't need any more money. Lewis & Clark, like other responsible colleges, has a spending policy that dictates what can be spent each year from the endowment. The Board of Trustees has allowed 4.5 percent of the value of the endowment to be spent annually.

I paid tuition during my four years, so I've already given enough money. At most colleges, the cost of education is higher than tuition. At L&C, tuition covers 88 percent of this cost, and the remaining 12 percent comes from endowment income and gifts to the Annual Fund.

My gift won't make a difference. Your gift of any size has a tremendous impact, helping talented students attend Lewis & Clark, sustaining the high quality of the curriculum, and providing other vital support for the College's day-to-day excellence.

My participation doesn't matter. Your participation does matter. National private foundations consider alumni, faculty, staff, and trustee Annual Fund giving before awarding grants to institutions. Foundations are more likely to award grants to Lewis & Clark when the College's own community financially supports the institution. Currently alumni participation is at 20 percent.