The Here for Every Voice Gift Matching Program Celebrates the Halfway Mark!

In October 2020, an alumna who wishes to remain anonymous made a transformational $50 million gift, with $40 million of that designated toward our $200 million endowed financial aid vision—a vision that will allow the college to go need-blind.

Thanks to her remarkable generosity, Smith was able to establish the Here for Every Voice Gift Matching program, which has allowed donors to greatly increase the impact of their own financial aid donations. The program—which matches 50% of a gift at predefined thresholds—opened doors for many, making it possible for them to start named, endowed scholarship funds.

To date, we have been able to apply more than $5 million in program matches to 55 Here for Every Voice gifts, resulting in a total addition to Smith’s financial aid endowment of more than $18 million.

Access and equity are the highest priorities of the college. You can help make a Smith education possible for deserving students, now and forever.

Thank you to our donors!

How can you help?

Take advantage of the remaining $5 million available in the Here for Every Voice Gift Matching program through an individual, class or giving circle donation (a minimum $100,000 gift is matched by $50,000). Learn about giving circles—when friends or classmates pool resources to create an endowed fund—at smith.edu/ access.

Leverage the Grécourt Match, which matches every $10 of your planned gift (such as an annuity or a bequest) with an immediate $1 donation to financial aid, up to $10,000.

STEP UP: A Special Challenge

If you’re in one of the ten Reunion Milestone classes (1998–2002 or 1988–1992) we have great news for you!

Smith is challenging classes in the Milestone Reunion cycle to increase giving participation in the current fiscal year (which ends June 30, 2023) and receive a generous gift in return.

When your class increases overall giving participation by at least 15 percent, it will receive $150,000 to establish an unrestricted class-endowed scholarship fund (or add to an existing one).

If all ten milestone Reunion classes reach their participation goal, Smith will add $1.5 million dollars to our endowed scholarship funds, thanks to anonymous alum donors.

Please STEP UP now and encourage your classmates to do the same. Give and learn more at smith.edu/stepup.

By Nicole Pellaton; this article appears in the Winter 2023 Smith Alumnae Quarterly.

To make an endowed gift or to learn more about supporting financial aid at Smith, please contact Betsy Carpenter ’93, associate vice president for development, at 413-585-2052 or ewcarpen@smith.edu.

“Financial aid means that I have opportunities at my fingertips without a burden that I’ve carried for a long time,” says Egypt Ballet ’23, an Africana Studies major from New Orleans. “It was clear that Smith would support me in many ways—financially, academically and beyond.”