Radcliffe Fund Drive Reaches All-Time High

In a year in which Radcliffe College faces an uncertain future, the 119-year-old institution will announce today its most successful fundraising season ever.

With 30 days to go in the fiscal year, sources said the Campaign for Radcliffe has raised $15 million, breaking 1995's $11.1 million record and pushing campaign totals to 67.2 percent of the college's goal.

In fiscal year 1997--one year past the midpoint of the eight-year campaign to raise $100 million--Radcliffe found it had only achieved half of its total fundraising goals.

Last year Radcliffe raised only $9.5 million--the lowest donation income since the start of the campaign in 1992. "It was a difficult year because we were adding staff", said Martha Ann Fuller, director of development at the college.

"Having positive numbers of this magnitude (this year) is very rewarding and gratifying and makes up for more uncertain times," said Lynn Chamberlin, director of communications for Radcliffe.

But Radcliffe will need to continue breaking records--averaging $16.5 million in the next two years--to meet its goal of $100 million. Traditionally, capital campaigns peter out in their final months.

However, Radcliffe has never claimed to be "traditional."

"We expect the last years of the campaign to really outdo the first years," said Nancy Dunn, vice president for finance and administration at Radcliffe. "It's the reverse of a typical campaign."

Noting that Radcliffe has never launched a fundraising effort of this magnitude, Dunn said it took time to develop relationships and trust with potential donors.

Bonnie Clendenning, vice president for college relations, said women donors in general need time to think about their gifts before pledging donations, an assertion supported by studies released by the Harvard Forum on Women and Philanthropy last month.

Radcliffe received several "transforming" gifts this year to boost the campaign, according to Clendenning, including $1 million from the Pforzheimer family for the Schlesinger Library, a $1 million bequest to a student assistance fund from Betty Ann H. Vail '34 and a $3 million matching fund from an anonymous donor.