The Bridge to Sustainability Fund

The Bridge to Sustainability Fund: Forward-thinking donors transform LA’s fiscal future

In the spring of 2021, Lincoln Academy was able to establish THE BRIDGE TO FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY FUND with over $4 Million dollars in gifts.

LA is celebrating its 220th year as a comprehensive independent high school and continuing its tradition of preparing students to serve others and lead fulfilling lives. In so many ways, every day, the Lincoln Academy community continues to rise to small and great adversities. And for many years, one of the most significant challenges has been providing the LA experience in a fiscally sustainable way. 

The Bridge to Financial Sustainability Fund, a restricted endowment fund, is structured to relieve LA’s yearly budget of bond debt service for the next 8-10 years based on current funding level and market returns.

“It is hard to underestimate the importance of this gift to our community, a fund that will address our debt obligation in our budget goes a long way to realizing a model of fiscal sustainability for LA,” says Jeffrey Burroughs, Head of School. 

A critical feature of THE BRIDGE FUND is the board’s capital projects policy designed to ensure that all future projects are fully funded, including contingencies, and that no additional debt is incurred.

In addition, the Board’s Green Task Force along with Head of School Jeffrey Burroughs and Lincoln Academy’s CFO Wendy Corlett have coordinated efforts to create a fiscally responsible energy strategy for LA. Utilizing best practices shared by other independent schools operating in aging buildings, the board’s Buildings and Grounds Committee and the LA Facilities team have conducted an energy audit of our campus. This assessment is shaping a multi-pronged plan for maintaining our facilities in the most economically and environmentally effective ways possible within the school’s fiscal means.

The Bridge Fund is a tremendous leap toward securing LA’s future for this exceptional community we serve. Board of Trustees Chair Judi Hilton ‘91 adds: “Over 30 current and former trustees and friends of LA have generously raised over $4 Million dollars for the Fund. The message of support that donors are sending to Lincoln Academy is deeply appreciated. This fund is a vote of confidence for our leadership team as they pursue other areas of growth and financial needs of the school.”

We invite you to join this exciting momentum and further strengthen the Lincoln Academy BRIDGE to Financial Sustainability. For more information, please contact: Heather D’Ippolito, Director of Development dippolito@lincolnacademy.org or 207-563-3596 x 2215.

We thank these Bridge Fund donors for their

forward thinking and generosity: