Report of the Committee on Development
for the Year ending June 30, 2004

With unaudited figures, subject to revision

Fiscal Year 2003-2004 was the first full year of the public phase of the Society's capital campaign for the Sigma Xi Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The official grand opening of the new facility was held in April. Under the leadership of Executive Director Patrick D. Sculley, Sigma Xi has set a five-year goal of $9 million to fund construction of the Center. That figure includes land, furnishings and equipment, as well as the building itself.

Efforts continued this year to enlist the financial support of Sigma Xi's membership for the capital campaign. General membership solicitations were sent out to all active members in the fall and spring. This year Sigma Xi's capital campaign brought in an additional $311,505 in revenue, for a campaign total of approximately $3.1 million (calculated as campaign cash on hand at the beginning of FY03, which includes proceeds of the sale of the New Haven building, and campaign revenues for FY03 and FY04.) The continuing support of Sigma Xi's members and friends will be important to retiring the mortgage on the Center.

The opportunity to honor someone with a gift to the building fund is a special feature of the campaign, for which pledges can be made over a three-year period. Since spring 2003, 165 members and friends have chosen to honor others with a gift of $1,000 or more to the building fund, and inscribed commemorative paving stones acknowledging these gifts were installed in the Sigma Xi Center plaza. All four benches in the plaza now have commemorative plaques acknowledging those giving $5,000 or more in honor of others.

Sixteen Sigma Xi chapters have made gifts of $1,000 or more and are commemorated with paving stones in a special section of the plaza.

An extensive online presence for the campaign was updated and further developed. The Center section of Sigma Xi's Web site can be found at http://www.sigmaxi.org/about/center/index.shtml or by visiting the Society's home page at www.sigmaxi.org and selecting the "About Sigma Xi" section, which includes a link to the Sigma Xi Center pages.

Acknowledgment of gifts to the campaign as well as tributes to those honored with gifts can be found online. The Web section also includes a secure online contribution form. Articles about construction progress and the capital campaign appeared in the "Sigma Xi Today" section of American Scientist. Additional capital campaign membership mailings and a major gift campaign are planned over the course of this five-year effort.

Sigma Xi's fund-raising efforts provide vital support for programs and operations. Unrestricted contributions to annual giving help further the work of the Society by providing seed money for new initiatives and supporting operations. Approximately 3,130 Sigma Xi members and friends contributed to annual giving this year with a total of $192,469 for FY2004.

In other areas, the Grants-in-Aid of Research program received contributions totaling $160,459 this fiscal year, over and above $2 from each member's dues that goes to support the program. This total included the establishment of two new named funds in support of Grants-in-Aid of Research: The Janet Hayes Davis Fund and the David E. Hausburg Fund. In addition, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) provided $20,872 for the administration of funds provided by the NAS to Sigma Xi's Grants-in-Aid of Research program.

The Teagle Foundation of New York made a grant of $80,000 that will be added to the endowment for the Bugliarello Prize currently under development by American Scientist. This brings the prize endowment total to $100,000. The Greenwall Foundation has also contributed $20,000 to underwrite the prize.

This is the first full year of operation of Sigma Xi's newly created Programs Department, responsible for funding and administering programs of the Sigma Xi Center. The development staff provided support for a number of program grants received in FY2004.

Sigma Xi remains indebted to those individuals who provide support for the work of the Society. The Companions Club recognizes members and friends who provide support of $500 or more in a fiscal year. In FY 2004, there were 163 members of the Companions Club.

Over the years, bequests have been important in the life of Sigma Xi, as a way for members and friends to honor a life's work, provide support for future generations of researchers and ensure the vitality of the Society. Extensive information on planned giving on the Sigma Xi Web site has proven to be an efficient, cost-effective means of promoting this option. Planned giving information is reproducible in the form of a brochure that can be sent by mail on request. Articles on planned giving also appeared in "Sigma Xi Today" in American Scientist and in the fall annual giving brochure sent to all active Sigma Xi members.

The Society's development efforts provide a much-needed source of support for programs and operations. With the help of members and friends, we continue to be optimistic that Sigma Xi can meet ambitious goals and expand its influence on behalf of the science and engineering community.

As I complete my term as chair of the Committee on Development, I particularly would like to thank committee member Ray Lutz, who serves as committee chair beginning July 1, 2004, for his commitment of time and effort to the capital campaign.

George Bugliarello
Chair, Committee on Development, FY04

Lawrence M. Kushner
William A. Lester, Jr.
Raymond P. Lutz
John H. Moore
John Trefny

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