An outline of many ways of giving money to Carleton can be found on the Giving to Carleton website.

There are two LGBTQIA+-specific funds available:

APLS Fund

Officially titled the “Endowed Fund for Academic Programs in LGBT Studies,” the APLS fund was established in 2004 by Dr. Thomas Polgreen ’76 and his partner Melvin Rushton. Programs are administered through the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, and the dollars produced by the fund are used for things such as: bringing pre- or post-doctoral fellows to campus for a term to offer student courses and lead workshops for faculty, allowing current faculty to research issues and develop courses in the highly interdisciplinary field of LGBTQIA+ Studies, and bringing distinguished lecturers to campus for programs of durations shorter than a full term.

Human Sexuality Endowment Fund

The Endowment Fund on Issues of Human Sexuality (commonly known as the Human Sexuality Endowment Fund) was established in 1993 through a generous gift from Ruth Harkison Waterbury ’57 and David Waterbury, who wished to improve the campus climate for LGBTQIA+ students. It is used to support a wide range of programs for Carleton’s LGBTQIA+ community and its straight allies and helps all Carleton students to explore issues surrounding sexual orientation, affectional preference, and gender identity. This goal is achieved through funding for guest speakers, travel to conferences and events, the purchase of library books, social events, campus-wide awareness campaigns, and support groups.

This fund also supports the arts on campus and the Rainbow Retreat, which provides a space for LGBTQIA+ and allied students to go off-campus, build community, and share their experiences. The Human Sexuality Endowment Fund is administered through the Gender and Sexuality Center.

Details about Giving

Please note that restricted gifts including those to the endowment are separate from the Alumni Annual Fund and do not “count” for Annual Fund credit.

If you would like your gift to Carleton to be earmarked for LGBTQIA+ students and services, you may specify such provisions when you donate. To direct your gift to the HSEF or APLS Fund, make a note in the comments field if giving online or on your check (or accompanying note) if giving by mail. If you have questions, please contact the Gift Accounting Office at 800-758-9441.

You can make your Annual Fund or another gift to Carleton as a Memorial or Honorary gift to commemorate the life of a friend, partner, professor, fellow alumnus/a, parent, child, sibling, or other relative. Memorial gifts are acknowledged in Carleton’s Annual Report on Giving, and may provide donors with Annual Fund or other gift credit, depending on the type of gift, in the fiscal year made.