Donors to Knox College gave more than $19 million during the 2013-14 fiscal year (July 1, 2013-June 30, 2014), including a $5 million gift from Dick '57 and Joan Whitcomb '56, the largest gift from living donors in the College's history. The Whitcombs' gift will be used to design and build a new facility for studio art and art history.

In total, $19,515,204 in cash was received from 8,200 alumni, parents, friends, and private organizations to support Knox faculty and students, the College's educational mission, annual operations, and capital improvements. In addition to the $5 million gift for the art building, the total includes nearly $3.6 million in recurring gifts to the Knox Fund or gifts that support the annual operations of the College, $2 million for the renovation of Alumni Hall, $1.4 million in realized bequests, and an additional $2 million in gifts to the College's endowment and other operational gifts. 

"The continued growth each year of the Knox Fund is amazing," said Beverly Holmes, vice president for Advancement. "While buildings depend upon the large million dollar gifts to become reality, the Knox Fund allows all donors, no matter the size of their gift, to help Knox offer a transformational education to a diverse and talented group of students. We are grateful that 7,747 donors supported Knox's daily ongoing mission with support for the Knox Fund."

The $3.6 million raised for the Knox Fund is the highest total ever given to the annual fund, thanks in part to Knox's Board of Trustees, who have set a goal to cumulatively give at least 25% of the Knox Fund annual goal. When combined with other operating support, more than $4.2 million was raised for immediate use in support of Knox students and faculty and the College's educational program.

Another growing area for Knox is support from competitive grants from private and public foundations, corporations, and government entities, not all of which is included in the $19.5 million in private gifts raised. During the past year, 17 successful grant applications secured commitments totaling $767,000. These grants will support important initiatives, projects, and programs, including faculty research and curricular development funding, scholarships, and programs that benefit the surrounding community such as KnoxCorps, which places Knox students and new graduates into community service positions, and the Knox-Rootabaga Jazz Festival.

Almost $13 million has been raised for Alumni Hall since major fundraising began in fall 2011. Building renovations and an exterior terrace and landscaping continue on time and on budget, and a re-dedication of Alumni Hall is planned during Homecoming weekend, October 10-12, 2014, with offices and staff occupying the building in December. More than 760 donors made gifts to the transformation of Alumni Hall to ensure that this historic icon of campus has a new life, encouraging prospective students to attend Knox, engaging current Knox students in life outside the classroom, and sending Knox graduates to life beyond the campus as alumni.

Since receiving the Whitcomb gift for the new art building in April, Knox has selected Lake Flato, a San Antonio, Texas,  architectural firm, from among four firms to be the architect for the building. The firm has met with students and faculty since May, preparing design options for the building that will be built on the east side of campus, a block from art's current home in the Ford Center for Fine Arts.  

In addition to this year's fundraising success, Knox College's endowment continues to grow. As of June 30, 2014, Knox's endowment stood at $111 million, the highest amount in College history. A special thanks to trustee Joe Glossberg, who has served as chair of the Investment Sub-Committee of the Board for 14 years and has done an amazing job, along with his fellows sub-committee board members, in managing growth for the endowment. Annual income from the endowment, tuition revenues, and private gift support are the College's three primary sources of annual revenue. Over the past few years, private gift support has surpassed endowment income to become Knox's second largest source of income after tuition.

Knox's recent fundraising successes, including annual growth in the Knox Fund and the College's endowment, record-breaking fundraising totals, and successful capital projects like Alumni Hall, have won recognition from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), an international association of educational institutions. The organization recently selected Knox for a 2014 CASE Educational Fundraising Award for Overall Performance.

CASE's Educational Fundraising Awards are based on data submitted to the Council for Aid to Education's annual Voluntary Support of Education survey, which is co-sponsored by CASE. In selecting Overall Fundraising Performance winners, judges use several factors to recognize institutions that show solid program growth, breadth in the base of support and other indications of a mature, well-maintained program.

"This recognition is possible thanks to the hard work of the Advancement office, who are committed to furthering Knox's mission and providing the College with the resources it deserves, our Board of Trustees, who work to secure the future of the College, and the thousands of donors who generously support the College each and every year," says Holmes.

With the momentum Knox has gained with recent fundraising initiatives, the College plans to move forward with additional fundraising priorities over the next few years, including support for faculty teaching and research, new initiatives to enhance the contemporary student experience, as well as enhancements to Knox's science building and facilities at its biological field station, Green Oaks.

"Today's students must have access to a 21st-century education: one that provides them with opportunities to study abroad, hold internships, excel on the playing fields and courts, and participate in community service projects in Galesburg and beyond. These experiences contribute significantly to success after graduation, and donor support is key to helping Knox expand our offerings in these areas," said Knox College President Teresa Amott. "With the support of our generous alumni and friends, Knox will reach the highest standards for educating current and future students."