Truman Scholars Annual Fund Reaches Half-Way Mark to 2009 Goal
Cameron Brown (ID ’95)

The Truman Scholars Association (TSA) formally started an Annual Fund drive in late 2008 to benefit the activities of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation (HSTSF).

This is not the first fundraising effort of the TSA, but it is the first to direct the primary benefit to the HSTSF. It has also been the largest success to date, and promises to continue to be a significant success into the future.

What is the Annual Fund?

The Truman Scholars Annual Fund is an alumni giving program. By donating to the Annual Fund, you are supporting the maintenance and growth of the rich programming that the HSTSF has supplied to Scholars over the last 20 years since it established Truman Scholars Leadership Week. You are also helping to establish and strengthen the community that we have become by supporting activities aimed to bring together Scholars of all years. The TSA Board will invest the Annual Fund proceeds in close coordination with Executive Secretary Frederick G. Slabach (MS ’77). Forward-thinking plans on the part of both TSA and HSTSF are being made to build capacity for a sustainable scholar development program aimed at enhancing the public service excellence of Scholars across all class years since inception. The 2009 Truman Scholars National Conference is the first fruit of this collaboration.

Why does the HSTSF need our support?

As you may be aware, a Trust Fund was established by Congress in 1976 to support the HSTSF in perpetuity. However, as with all U.S. government trust funds, this fund is mandated by law to be administered by the Treasury Department and invested only in short term Treasury Bills. During the 80s, when interest rates were high, the trust fund actually grew from the original $30M to about $55M. However, since the early 90s, Treasury yields have not kept pace. In the last three years, the HSTSF has found itself with a 30% lower draw on the interest than it had in 2000, causing it to cut the number of scholarships given in recent years from 85 to 65. At the same time, the cost of education has increased significantly, while the amount of the scholarship has remained at $30,000.

What have we accomplished to date?

Annual Fund has collected donations from 167 Scholars totaling $46,500 in cash and $13,000 in additional pledges for 2009. All told, this puts us 60 percent of the way toward our $100,000 goal in 2009 with a head start on future years of the drive via multi-year pledges of $38,000.

What do we still need to accomplish?

We need to get all Scholars involved. Whether your donation is $1 or a million, it COUNTS! A successful Annual Fund is a factor not only of the total dollars raised, but also of the diffusion of participation. We believe that as Truman Scholars, it’s our very nature to give, and in our best interest to share with future Scholars the richness of our vibrant community evident at the 2009 National Conference and on our discussion groups. So do your part and visit http://www.trumanscholars.org/giving today to make a donation, then send an email to annualfund@trumanscholars.org and pledge to continue giving next year and beyond!