News

Brenton Stacey
Public relations officer

Donations to Avondale College have increased since 2000 but factors associated with the global financial crisis may see them trend further downward over the next few years.

From a high of almost $1 million (all figures adjusted for inflation) in 2004, money from donors has decreased to an average of about $500,000 each year over the past four years. "Half-a-million is still a pretty good figure," says director of advancement Lorin Bradford, "and donations are remaining strong this year, even as Australia's economy slows."

About a quarter of the $500,000 comes from the Avondale College Offering, collected by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific every two years.

Giving by church members to the offering is decreasing. The church received $155,000 in 2000, the year Avondale nominated the rebuilding of the auditorium as the focus of the offering, and $145,000 in 2002.

In 2004, Avondale nominated the furnishing of the yet-to-be-built student residences near the former dairy on the Lake Macquarie campus as the focus of the offering. The college promoted the offering much like a gift catalogue, where church members could donate money for particular items. The promotion seemed to work, with the church collecting more than $200,000.

Despite a similar focus in 2006, giving to the offering decreased to $132,000. It fell again this past year to $116,000 when the focus shifted to the Adopt-a-Room project--which raised an additional $27,000 in donations.

"It's difficult to tell why giving to the offering is decreasing," says Lorin. "The health of the economy and the focus of the offering are probably factors. We've also been experimenting with different methods of promotion-a bigger advertising spend and the use of multi-media in 2006 might explain the difference between that year and this past year. And the voluntarily administration of ACFI [ACF Investments Ltd] has frozen the funds of some of our most loyal supporters."