Q: What is FORMING LEADERS AT THE FRONTIER, Campaign for Southwest?
A: FORMING LEADERS AT THE FRONTIER is Seminary of the Southwest’s (Southwest) campaign to strengthen and expand our mission to form leaders who participate in the mission of God at the electric edge where the gospel meets culture. Southwest will build instructional, collaborative and contemplative spaces to support its essential leading role in the formation of Christian leaders for the church, counselors and chaplains for the world.
Q: How much is the campaign planning to raise?
A: We will invest $20,000,000 to upgrade our library and classroom facilities (the Learning Complex), increase scholarship endowment, and ensure our financial strength in order to equip our students to fulfill God’s mission.
Q: When will the campaign start?
A: The campaign is currently underway but in the quiet phase. We are scheduled to go public mid-2020. To allow us to visit all dioceses, we ask you to accept the request for a call or visit from one of our volunteers.
Q: Where will the buildings be built?
A: Through our Campus Master Plan our engineering partners determined the existing Learning Complex buildings were structurally sound. Both buildings will be gutted and all construction will take place within their existing footprint.
Q: Why should we support Southwest’s capital campaign?
A: Serving students from across The Episcopal Church through residential and local formation, Southwest is preparing priests, mental health counselors, chaplains, and missional leaders to serve the church and heal the world. Our graduates and our faculty make critical contributions to imagining and resourcing the church of the future.
Q: We are already supporting Southwest’s Annual Fund. Why should we make a capital campaign gift too?
A: Southwest’s Annual Fund supports operating needs and scholarships. Gifts to the capital campaign will support our essential leading role in the formation of Christian leaders for the church, counselors and chaplains for the world.
Q: Why am I asked to make a pledge instead of a one-time gift?
A: The success of the campaign rests largely on pledges that are payable over five years. Pledges enable dioceses to donate more than would otherwise be possible in one-time gifts.
Q: I want to make a gift, but our budget is very tight this year. How can I still participate?
A: Please remember that the campaign encourages pledges which can be structured over a five-year period. You can schedule to begin your pledge this year or next, and you can consider making smaller payments the first few years with larger payments at the end of the five-year period.
Q: Is an initial payment required?
A: No. However, many donors actually prefer to begin payments on their pledges immediately with a ten percent or more initial payment. Initial payments also help us to begin our projects sooner.
