Report of Development and Membership 



67 



a newsletter for the Contributing Membership and other 

 Smithsonian supporters that highlights ways theit giving is 

 having an impact. New policies include an endowment pol- 

 icy that details different ways our friends can support the 

 Smithsonian in perpetuity, including the establishment of 

 academic chairs, and a policy for naming opportunities that 

 outlines how supporters can link their name, or those of 

 their family or loved ones, to exhibition galleries, lecture and 

 performance halls, reception aieas, and other spaces visited 

 by millions of people each year. A donor recognition room in 

 rhe Castle, now nearing completion, will recognize major 

 gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations — the 

 visionary support that enables us to pursue ground-breaking 

 initiatives and permanently shapes the future of this unpar- 

 alleled Institution. 



We all have a stake in this Institution, as well as an 

 emotional connection to it, and that is the true core of part- 

 nership. While supporters receive tangible benefits, 

 including recognition and special opportunities, at the core 

 is an agreement between them and the Smithsonian that 

 their support will be used wisely, advancing one of the great- 

 est public-private partnerships the world has ever known. 



Smithsonian National Board 



The Smithsonian National Board continues to be one of the 

 Institution's premier volunteer groups, serving in an advi- 

 sory capacity to the Secretary and raising significant funds 

 both for unrestricted use and for specific areas the board has 

 tatgeted. This year, the boatd's annual giving fund raised 

 more than Si. 5 million for a donor recognition room in the 

 Castle, now under consrrucrion across from the Smithson 

 Crypt, and a membership and donor coordination system 

 that will have a measurable impact on the Smithsonian's 

 ability to form meaningful relationships with supporters 

 nationwide. 



In addition to its two yearly meetings, for the first time 

 the board held a February meeting, inviting chairs of all the 

 volunteer boards and commissions across the Institution, 

 along with directors of the museums and research institutes. 

 The meeting was a basis for dialogue about how these im- 

 portant volunteers could maximize their efforts on behalf of 

 the Institution. Secretary I. Michael Heyman delivered a 

 keynote address on ways the wide-ranging parts of the 

 Smithsonian relate to an organic whole. Breakout groups 

 discussed the national capital campaign and how the boards 

 will work togethet for greatest impact. The Smithsonian 

 National Boatd will continue to play a leading role in the 

 capital campaign. 



Contributing Membership 



The Contributing Membership continues to be a major re- 

 source for the Institution. In 1999, annual dues and 

 additional contributions from this generous group of indi- 

 viduals yielded nearly Si 0.2 million in unrestricted funds, 

 the highest gross income in the history of the program. This 



success was a result of a strategic marketing investment that 

 generated 9,000 new members and a 12.6 percenr increase in 

 contributions from existing members. These funds can be 

 targeted toward research, exhibitions, or other areas where 

 support is needed. 



The Contributing Membership is the fertile ground from 

 which many of our longest-lasting partnerships with indi- 

 viduals emerge, and the program provides an avenue for 

 them to further explore the Smithsonian through tours, 

 publications, and special events. This year's "Smithsonian 

 Treasures," the week-long series of tours for members, took 

 more than 50 people behind the scenes at the Smithsonian 

 Institution Archives, the Horticulture Services Division, the 

 National Portrait Gallery, and other ateas that leflect the 

 many facets of the Institution. Many Contributing Members 

 also sttengthened their support by moving to higher mem- 

 bership levels. In response to new targeted messages in their 

 renewal lettets, 54 Contributing Members upgraded to the 

 James Smithson Society, the highest number in recent years. 



The Contributing Membership also led the way to a 

 greater philanthropic visibility on the Wotld Wide Web and 

 developed a Web site where visitors can make a secure gift to 

 the Smithsonian on-line, at www.si.edu/sidonations. 



James Smithson Society 



As the leading circle of support through membership, the 

 James Smithson Society continues to raise significant funds 

 for the Institution. The society's 550 members this yeat gave 

 nearly $826,000 in dues and special gifts. To enhance rela- 

 tionships with these members, especially in preparation for 

 the national capital campaign, the society added a director 

 and program coordinatot this year, both committed to the 

 program's success and growth. 



The James Smithson Society Endowed Life Program 

 welcomed new member Richard Triska. Endowed Life 

 Members make a one-time gift of $40,000 or more. Earned 

 income from the endowment gift suppotts priority initia- 

 tives across the Institution in perpetuity and the member's 

 annual dues for the James Smithson Society. This growing 

 program provides long-tetm support critical to Smithsonian 

 planning and to the Institution's ability to serve future 

 generations. 



In the summer, a tour of "Postets American Style" and 

 dinnet with Secretary and Mrs. I. Michael Heyman broughr 

 togethet Smithson Society members in the San Francisco 

 Bay area. Members also enjoyed a new program called "Food 

 for Thought," in which curators talked with members about 

 the Star-Spangled Banner Preservation Project, panda con- 

 servation, and the National Ait and Space Museum's Dulles 

 Center. 



The Eberly Family Charitable Trust was recognized with 

 the James Smithson Society Founder Medal at the society's 

 annual black-tie dinner in May. The Eberly family, a long- 

 time member of the Smithson Society, was honoted for its 

 gift to create the Eberly Minerals and Gems Gallery in the 

 Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Min- 

 erals in the National Museum of Natural History. 



