2010-11 BB&N Annual Fund Finishes Strong

With gratitude and thanks to the BB&N community of donors, including alumni/ae, parents, past parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, students and friends, the Annual Fund reached its 2010-2011 goal of $2,500,000 and continued to increase the strong participation among alumni/ae and parents with rates of 27% and 88% respectively. At the Lower School, the Beginner and Kindergarten grades reached 100% participation and are to be acknowledged once again for this significant milestone.

Each year, the Annual Fund continues to provide essential funds to balance BB&N’s operating budget, as tuition dollars and income from BB&N’s endowment are unable to sustain the needs of the operating budget alone. Additionally, the Annual Fund provides the underpinnings of excellence in programming and education that define the BB&N experience.

Thanks to the countless numbers of volunteers across all constituencies, and the tireless efforts of phonathon callers, BB&N is thrilled to count 2,340 donors to the Annual Fund this year. Special thanks to the Alumni/ae Executive Committee, numerous Reunion Committees, the Parent Fund Executive Committee and Solicitor Teams, Past Parent Fund Chairs, Grandparent Fund Chairs, Faculty and Staff Leaders, Senior Class Ambassadors, and the many others who helped us achieve these remarkable results.

One metric we are especially proud of is alumni/ae participation. Over the last two years, this number has steadily increased from 17% to 27%, thanks to the confidence and support of nearly 600 new or renewed alumni/ae. Reunion classes, in particular, rose to the occasion and rallied together to double and triple past giving percentages. Three reunion classes—1981, 2001, and 2006—broke BB&N’s reunion records with 51%, 51%, and 40% respectively. This is impressive, particularly when many

other independent schools, colleges, and universities are seeing a decline in their alumni/ae participation percentages. Our alumni/ae provide an important connection to our history and culture, and their support is symbolic of their pride for the institution and their satisfaction with their experience.

The fabric of our School is further enriched by the enduring support of our past parent community which remains engaged with BB&N and provides a valued perspective of the long-term benefits of a BB&N education. Similarly, our grandparent community continues to grow and offer wisdom, insight, and the shared pride we all feel when our students embrace significant learning milestones each year.

Our valued faculty and staff support the School both in and outside the classroom and their participation in the Annual Fund this year is no exception. Coupled with the Senior Class Ambassadors and their enthusiasm, the Annual Fund has experienced an unprecedented year in both dollars raised and overall participation across all constituencies; for this, we are extraordinarily grateful.

The BB&N community continues to make a strong commitment to the Annual Fund each year which enables the school to fill the critical gap that exists between tuition and the true cost of a BB&N education. Each and every gift, ranging from $1 to in excess of $50,000, is valued and impacts the experience of each and every BB&N student. Quite simply, we could not achieve the Annual Fund goal each year without a community of support and we are thankful to those who have chosen to make the BB&N Annual Fund a philanthropic priority.

The above photograph says it all: Thank You!