Parents and Guilford College

What is the Parent Fund?

Each year hundreds of parents make gifts to the Annual Funds, a vital source of unrestricted revenue for the college. The Parent Fund is part of the Annual Fund and is supported by parents of Guilford students. Gifts from parents support scholarships, technology and maintenance on campus and allow Guilford to continue to provide students a practical and transformative liberal arts education.

Gifts to the Parent Fund can be directed to the following areas:

The Loyalty Fund – The Loyalty Fund is the unrestricted fund that supports the core mission of Guilford College in allowing the college to use your gift where it is needed most.

Friends of the Library – Gifts directed to Friends of the Library provide unrestricted support for Hege Library.

Friends Center – Gifts are used to provide support for Friends Center and its various speakers and programs.

Academic Areas – You may designate your gift to any of the academic areas that are offered at Guilford. Any gift made to an academic area will go directly to that program.

Quaker Club – Gifts directed to the Quaker Club provide unrestricted support for all athletic programs. You may also choose to designate 50% of your gift to one of Guilford’s 16 athletic teams.

It’s easy to make a gift to Guilford!

• Make a Gift Now
• Call Ellie Puckett at (336) 316-2332 or (888) 203-1322 to make your gift by Visa, Master Card, American Express or Discover
• To set up an automatic draft or to inquire about making a gift of stock please e-mail guilfordfund@guilford.edu or call (336) 316-2332

Do you or your spouse work for a matching gift company?

If so, submit your request to your human resources office to have your gift to Guilford doubled or even tripled!

Family Leadership Council

The Family Leadership Council is a resource open to parents who want to have an especially lasting impact on the campus, for their children and for future generations of students. Aiming to build a strong, involved and informed parents community, the Family Leadership Council is open to parents who are interested in becoming more actively involved in the life of the college and in the student experience.

To join the Family Leadership Council contact Ellie Puckett at (336) 316-2332 or mpuckett@guilford.edu.

Stay Connected from Home

Want to know what’s new on campus? Log in to the Parent Pipeline and chat with other parents about current events on campus. Access the pipeline here: Parent Pipeline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I give when I already pay tuition?

Tuition only covers about 80% of the cost of a Guilford education. Gifts from alumni and parents are essential to make up the difference.

If there are financial pressures, why not reach into the endowment principal or increase endowment payout?

The college’s endowment must last in perpetuity, without eroding its real value over time. Thus, the endowment principal must never be spent and the college must reinvest part of the endowment income and appreciation in a given year to preserve the endowment’s value. Furthermore, the endowment payout rate must account for market fluctuations. Guilford spends about 5% of the endowment’s value each year, a payout rate comparable to that of our peers. By selecting a prudent payout rate, Guilford ensures it has the resources to make it through both the good years and the lean ones.

How will my gift be used?

Every dollar raised by the Parent Fund goes directly towards Guilford’s programs and services – virtually every aspect of the Guilford experience is affected. The largest categories are faculty salaries and resources, financial aid and campus life.

Here are a few examples:

• books for the library
• laboratory safety equipment
• headphones for language labs
• field trip to regional museum
• gown for choir member
• software for a computer lab
• couches for a student lounge
• intramural sports programming