In the four months since Hampshire College announced it would shut down because of enormous debt, Hampshire Next, a grassroots fundraising group wanting to buy the land and buildings, says it has received $2 million in pledges.
Joan Wattman, on the Hampshire Next board and an alum of Hampshire College, said more than 1400 people have pledged donations, ranging from $25 to $250,000.
All have agreed — at the moment — to follow through on their donations.
Wattman says the amount raised in a short time gives the group legitimacy and could be a turning point.
"We have been speaking to many, many different donors who are interested in pledging quite a bit of money," Wattman said. "I think this $2 million might open the door to some of that; I think they've been waiting for us to prove ourselves."
Donors include alumni, former Hampshire College employees, and current students and families Wattman said.
The challenge to this kind of fundraising and project-building are many , there are a lot of unknowns Wattman said.
Hampshire's Board of Trustees may already be considering an offer, she said.
The Hampshire Next proposal for the land and buildings is still being developed. It would definitely be educational Wattman said.
"We've been using the term "educational ecosystem." So it might be it might be more than one educational institute coexisting on the campus," Wattman said.
Hampshire Next meets regularly and has been meeting with several organizations and land conservation groups, including Kestrel Trust Wattman said.
The realty company listing the school has not posted a price tag.
