Comments on: No Bigger Tearjerker http://www.ephblog.com/2009/11/08/no-bigger-tearjerker/ All Things Eph Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:53:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: hwc http://www.ephblog.com/2009/11/08/no-bigger-tearjerker/#comment-74442 hwc Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:25:42 +0000 http://www.ephblog.com/?p=23957#comment-74442 argh. I didn't close a bold tag. Admin: they should be before and after "Amherst" and "Swarthmore" or just delete them entirely if it's easier. Sorry. argh. I didn’t close a bold tag. Admin: they should be before and after “Amherst” and “Swarthmore” or just delete them entirely if it’s easier. Sorry.

]]> By: hwc http://www.ephblog.com/2009/11/08/no-bigger-tearjerker/#comment-74441 hwc Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:24:13 +0000 http://www.ephblog.com/?p=23957#comment-74441 For context, here are the fundraising costs from the 990's for two comparison schools: <b>Amherst</b> College</a> $5 million <b>Swarthmore</b> College</a> $4 million The big differences are payroll costs. Both Amherst and Swarthmore spend a quarter of Williams number on publications ($150k and $106k). Both spend much less on travel ($375k and $150k), but those could be a function of being in a campaign or not. The obvious question is to look a fundraising totals, but that would require looking over a signficant number of years because year to year totals show wild swings based on major gifts, campaigns, etc. If I were a new President coming in to find millions of dollars in hard cuts, I would want to ask why fundraising costs are double those of my two closest peer schools. *edited by JM For context, here are the fundraising costs from the 990’s for two comparison schools:

Amherst College $5 million
Swarthmore College $4 million

The big differences are payroll costs. Both Amherst and Swarthmore spend a quarter of Williams number on publications ($150k and $106k).

Both spend much less on travel ($375k and $150k), but those could be a function of being in a campaign or not.

The obvious question is to look a fundraising totals, but that would require looking over a signficant number of years because year to year totals show wild swings based on major gifts, campaigns, etc.

If I were a new President coming in to find millions of dollars in hard cuts, I would want to ask why fundraising costs are double those of my two closest peer schools.

*edited by JM

]]> By: hwc http://www.ephblog.com/2009/11/08/no-bigger-tearjerker/#comment-74438 hwc Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:08:10 +0000 http://www.ephblog.com/?p=23957#comment-74438 The most recent <a href="http://www.ephblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/WilliamsForm990-2008.pdf" rel="nofollow">990 form</a> shows fundraising expenses of right at $10 million a year. About half of that is salary and benefits. There's about $600,000 for printed materials and another $600,000 for travel. $500,000 for contract services/consultants. A biggie is $1 million depreciation. That's probably depreciation on the buildings and perhaps development software, which is s significant expense. The most recent 990 form shows fundraising expenses of right at $10 million a year.

About half of that is salary and benefits. There’s about $600,000 for printed materials and another $600,000 for travel. $500,000 for contract services/consultants. A biggie is $1 million depreciation. That’s probably depreciation on the buildings and perhaps development software, which is s significant expense.

]]> By: frank uible http://www.ephblog.com/2009/11/08/no-bigger-tearjerker/#comment-74434 frank uible Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:40:25 +0000 http://www.ephblog.com/?p=23957#comment-74434 Your correspondent's SWAG is an aggregate of $5 million per year in fully allocated costs, net of non-gift receipts. Your correspondent’s SWAG is an aggregate of $5 million per year in fully allocated costs, net of non-gift receipts.

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