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ETHS Foundation reports $23.5M raised toward $48M centennial campaign; fundraising to focus on alumni markets
Summary
The ETHS Foundation reported it has raised $23.5 million toward a $48 million capital campaign to renovate the Arts and Innovation Wing; staff described organizational restructuring, staffing, donor outreach strategy and how raised funds have been distributed.
Jeff Hammock, chief advancement officer for Evanston Township High School District 202, told the board on Oct. 6 that the ETHS Foundation has raised $23.5 million toward a $48 million capital campaign to support renovations and expansions in the Arts and Innovation Wing.
“We are just about 50% of the way there to our $48,000,000 campaign goal, sitting at $23,500,000 raised,” Hammock said. He described a multi‑year campaign focused on renovating performing and visual arts spaces and industrial arts that support career and technical education.
Hammock outlined organizational changes implemented since he joined a year earlier: the foundation’s advancement functions were realigned under his district role, positions were reallocated and two external strategic partners were engaged to handle prospect management and financial accounting. He said the foundation board recently elected Xiaoming Ross as chair, Scott Clark as treasurer, Chastity Cooper as secretary and named Susie Pratt to the executive team; Nicole Boyd was introduced as the new director of alumni relations and Sarah Schmidt as director of advancement marketing.
Hammock said the majority of campaign dollars to date come from individuals at six‑ and seven‑figure gift levels and that fiscal year 2025 was a record year for the foundation, reporting $11.6 million in total income. He also noted that roughly $2.2 million of the foundation’s $3 million in fiscal‑year expenses were disbursements to the high school for capital and program support, including a $1.5 million contribution to the capital project in June.
On outreach strategy, Hammock said the foundation is prioritizing alumni markets in Illinois, California, the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut area, the D.C. metro area, Maryland/Virginia and Wisconsin; the foundation’s database contains roughly 60,000 constituents and about 57,000 alumni, of whom roughly 8.4% have ever made a gift. Hammock said that when measured as annual participation the active giving rate is closer to 1% and that the foundation sees substantial room for growth.
Board members asked about cash management, and Hammock said most campaign cash is currently held in a high‑yield savings account, reporting “about $6,500,000” in cash earning just over 4% interest to keep funds available for project payments. Board members also asked whether the foundation will continue to fund smaller projects and scholarships; Hammock said endowed funds and donor‑directed gifts continue to supply scholarships and program support alongside the capital campaign.
Board members expressed support and asked how they could assist with outreach. Hammock said the board’s role includes understanding and communicating the campaign narrative and connecting with potential donors in priority markets. He left printed vision materials for board members and invited questions.
