A History of Giving at Grinnell College

Published:
July 18, 2009
1846
Trustee James J. Hill created the College's endowment with a single silver dollar on the table.
1882
After a cyclone ravaged the campus just before Commencement in 1882, the College rallied, with the help of local leader J.B. Grinnell, to raise the funds to completely rebuild the campus.
1903
The Carnegie Corporation gave the College $50,000 for the endowment of the library.
1910s
President John H.T. Main's "Campaigns of Progress" raised enough money to begin his building plan, which would culminate in the Quad and the North Campus residence halls.
1920s
By 1921, Main's campaign to raise $3.5 million — with a $500,000 grant from the General Education Board — had faltered. The debt from the previous decade's building projects was pulling the College down.
1930s
By 1930, Main was still trying to repay the College's debts. He hoped to raise the $1 million demanded by the General Education Board, which was holding out the promised $500,000. Finally, the board offered $316,000 and abandoned the debt issue. A letter with the good news arrived on President Main's desk on April 1, 1931 -- just hours after Main had died.
1946
On the occasion of the College's Centennial, President Samuel Stevens announced a campaign to raise $1 million for Darby Gym. Gifts from Oklahoma businessman J. Frederick Darby 1895 provided a large part of the building funds for the gym, which was named in his honor.
1970s
Grinnell set up its class fund director structure to give a personal touch to fundraising efforts.
1978
The College formalized the trustee development committee.
1995
President Pam Ferguson led a campaign to raise $75 million for the Robert N. Noyce '49 Science Center and the Matthew and Carolyn Swartz '51 Bucksbaum Center for the Arts. The campaign surpassed its goal by $13 million.
2001
A bequest from Joe Rosenfield '25 — the largest in the College's history — brought the College $25 million. Rosenfield's total lifetime giving to Grinnell topped $47 million.

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