Franklin College Launches $40 Million Campaign
Franklin College has launched a five-year, $40 million comprehensive fundraising campaign. Franklin Forward: The Campaign for Franklin College was announced during a gala celebration on Friday, April 10, at Garment Factory Events in Franklin. The initiative is designed to strengthen the nearly 200-year-old institution for long-term prosperity. The College announced that it has already raised more than $29 million during the campaign’s silent phase, reflecting strong early momentum and significant philanthropic commitment from alumni and friends.
The campaign seeks to reach its $40 million goal by June 30, 2028, to increase the College’s endowment, complete a campus renovation project and shift the institution’s financial model toward greater reliance on philanthropy.
A campaign video premiered at the gala featuring alumni reflecting on how donor generosity shaped their student experience and helped launch their successful careers, while current students shared firsthand how that same support is enhancing their education today.
At its core, Franklin Forward focuses on increasing the endowment to support scholarships, academic programs and student experiences that define the College’s relationship-centric liberal arts and sciences education. With roughly one-third of its students being the first in their families to attend college, the campaign will help preserve access to and affordability of its transformative educational opportunities for future generations.
Franklin Forward builds on a strong period of institutional momentum. The College has recorded three consecutive years of freshman class growth, risen in U.S. News & World Report’s Top Performers in Social Mobility ranking among national liberal arts colleges and expanded its campus with the opening of the Johnson Memorial Health Athletic Annex and the Center for Tech Innovation. Franklin has also launched a competitive esports program and introduced new academic offerings — including cybersecurity, neuroscience, sports communication and concentrations in video game development and digital marketing — designed to meet evolving workforce demand and student interest.
“While Franklin Forward is a short-term campaign, its long-term impact will position the College to thrive in a rapidly changing higher education landscape,” Franklin College President Kerry N. Prather said. “Through increased endowment support, this campaign ensures we can continue advancing our mission and delivering the distinctive Franklin education that prepares students for fulfilling lives and careers.”
The campaign includes three components: a $30 million endowment initiative, a $9.5 million capital project to restore and renovate the Elwood Fitness Center and $500,000 in operating support to advance current priorities. Increasing the endowment will allow Franklin College to reduce reliance on tuition revenue and more efficiently navigate the national demographic trends projected to result in fewer high school graduates over the next 10 years.
The Elwood Fitness Center renovation — already underway — will transform the oldest college gymnasium in Indiana, constructed in 1908, into a modern hub for wellness, recreation and athletics. The project supports the approximately 60% of incoming students who participate in intercollegiate athletics and many others who rely on campus recreation for fitness and community. The renovation is expected to be completed in the spring of 2027.
“It has been inspiring to see the early commitment from the Franklin College community during the silent phase of the campaign,” said Robert B. “Rob” Brown, Franklin College Trustee and Campaign Committee Chair. “While there is still much work ahead, we’re off to a strong start, and I’m confident we will achieve our goal.”
Prather added, “Franklin Forward is built around our donors’ passions, giving them the opportunity to direct their support to the programs and initiatives that matter most to them — whether it is a specific academic program, an endowed scholarship or other student experiences. The ability to align their gift with their personal passion is what makes this campaign especially meaningful.”
As Franklin College approaches its 200th anniversary, leaders say the campaign is designed not simply to strengthen the institution, but to expand its impact — ensuring that future students continue to benefit from the close faculty mentorship, experiential learning and community connections that have defined the College since 1834.
For additional information about Franklin Forward: The Campaign for Franklin College and ways to give, visit franklincollege.edu/franklin-forward. Those interested in supporting the campaign should contact Nora Brems, vice president for institutional advancement, at (317) 738-8864 or nbrems@FranklinCollege.edu.