The Results Are In!

THE CAMPAIGN FOR Seattle Pacific University was an enormous effort involving more than 15,000 donors; task force teams of 32 volunteers championing five different funding initiatives; and a nationwide effort to communicate the SPU vision in 19 cities from San Diego to Boston. After five years; countless meetings, phone calls, and presentations; and an unprecedented outpouring of goodwill across all constituencies, the results are in: 49,203 gifts and pledges totaling $55 million, exceeding the goal of The Campaign by more than $2 million.

Perhaps most telling, The Campaign outperformed expectations while weathering storms in the national economy, the post-9/11 downturn, and a major stock market correction. It was a rocky period in which many Institutions reported a drop in private donations.

In contrast, what the numbers for Seattle Pacific indicate is a brand new level of broad support, including nearly 4,000 new donors. Faculty and staff giving rose 250 percent, while alumni participation remained healthy and participation by the Board of Trustees set new records. Four hundred and sixty-five students gave to The Campaign even while many of them worked to pay their own tuitions. The 15,589 donors were more than twice the number who gave to the University’s last campaign, with their average gift doubling to $1,116. Sixteen donors gave gifts of $1 million or more, compared to one such donor in the preceding campaign. Sixty-four donors made gifts of $100,000 or greater.

One of the single biggest success stories within The Campaign was the money raised for endowment. Giving to the Endowment Initiative totaled $29.4 million. “This certainly bodes very well for the future,” says Vice President for University Advancement Bob McIntosh. “Boosting the endowment in such a big way will help the vitality of our mission and support students for years to come.”

The other initiatives also received strong support: $7.1 million for the Center for Scholarship and Faculty Development Initiative; $2.2 million for the Science Initiative; $8.7 million for the University Fund Initiative; and $7.6 million for the Restricted Annual Fund Initiative.

While acknowledging the enthusiasm of Seattle Pacific loyalists, Roger Winter, co-chair of the Endowment Initiative task force, says he was pleased and surprised at the receptiveness of people without previous ties to the University. “They like what they see and hear about SPU’s priorities,” he explains. “They want to be part of its culture. It was not hard to convince them to become involved because they get what Seattle Pacific and President Eaton mean to the community. We have a place in their hearts, and many
are working with us on an ongoing basis.”

Donors likewise resonated with the University Fund Initiative to provide scholarship support for hardworking students deserving of merit recognition. “We can’t achieve the Seattle Pacific mission without The University Fund,” says Robert Wallace ’69, chair of the initiative’s volunteer task force. “We must help students get the education that SPU is famous for providing.” Eaton believes the results of The Campaign provide a firm foundation upon which to build a premier Christian university. “It allows us to aim high, to move forward with confidence.”