Report of the Committee on Development for the Year Ending June 30, 1999

This fiscal year saw continued activity in the major gifts campaign for the Sigma Xi Center and groundwork for the membership campaign, as the fund-raising effort prepares to move into its public phase. Several campaign publications were further developed and refined during the year. The result will be a family of publications that cover various aspects and giving opportunities related to the Sigma Xi Center.

Overall contributions to the Society in fiscal year 1999, which ended July 30, totaled more than $772,000, including donations of more than $187,000 from Sigma Xi members and friends in the Society's annual giving program. The annual giving program provides unrestricted funds to further the work of the Society and remains an important part of our development effort. The campaign to build the Sigma Xi Center received approximately $50,000 during fiscal year 1999.

Funding for the Grants-in-Aid of Research program was also strong this year, with contributions of more than $338,000. This includes a gift of $24,500 from the estate of the late Roland Queneau, a long-time member whose estate has provided an additional $305,000 to the Grants-in-Aid program since fiscal year 1997. The estate has also provided an equal amount to the campaign to build the Sigma Xi Center. Volunteer contributions to the Grants-in-Aid of Research program continue to be important given the intense competition for research funds that many beginning scientists face.

Sigma Xi received $20,000 from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund in support of the 1999 Forum to be held in November in Minneapolis on undergraduate science and engineering education reform. We also received another grant of $25,000 from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund to support an equipment and computer database update for the Media Resource Service. This will make the service more efficient in helping journalists locate experts in science and technology to interview for their news and feature stories. The work supported by the grant has continued into fiscal year 1999.

This year the Communities Foundation of Texas contributed another $5,000 to the endowment for the John P. McGovern Award, which will allow us to increase the level of support for this annual Sigma Xi award. This was the latest in a series of gifts from the Foundation. The McGovern Lecture continues to be one of the highlights of our annual meeting.

Our communications efforts during the year have continued to help further our fund-raising goals. The 1998 Annual Report, with research perspectives provided by recent presidents of Sigma Xi, offered a good overview of the organization and its activities. The annual report has proven to be a valuable publication to send to funding prospects, as well as a useful way to recognize those who have supported the Society during the year.

Many members of the staff of Sigma Xi were also among the Society's contributors in fiscal year 1999. I would like to express my appreciation again on behalf of the Society to them and to members of the Sigma Xi Board of Directors who have contributed during the year. This strong statement of support from the Society's leadership is important to our overall fund-raising efforts. The Committee on Development particularly appreciates those 68 members and friends who are part of the Companions Club, which recognizes donors of $500 or more during the fiscal year.

Sigma Xi’s development efforts continue to be focused on developing major gifts for construction of the Sigma Xi Center, but the figures also show that targeted fund-raising activities can have tangential benefits, like those experienced by the Grants-in-Aid of Research program, for which contributions have been especially strong in recent years. With the continued support of members and friends, we look forward to making significant progress with the Sigma Xi Center project in the coming year. Our development efforts are helping to provide the means for positioning Sigma Xi as an influential participant in science and engineering policy debates and other activities in the years ahead.

Lawrence Kushner, Chair
George Bugliarello
William F. Little
Raymond P. Lutz
Alan H. McGowan