The president of Germanna Community College's Educational Foundation has issued a gift-matching challenge of $100,000 to help the school.

Bruce Davis, a local businessman and president of the foundation for the past two years, and his wife, Sandy, announced yesterday that they are offering the matching gift to bring in an equal amount from other donors.

Davis said he was inspired to make what Germanna officials call one of the most significant gifts in the college's history after he was appointed as Spotsylvania County's representative on the advisory board.

"That really opened my eyes to a lot more about the college, in terms of faculty, staff and what they have to put up with in terms of budget constraints," he said.

Because of those budget cuts, the foundation is feeling more pressure to raise money for Germanna, which Davis said is another reason he issued the challenge.

"It's a great need, and we just wanted to help the foundation ramp it up a bit," he said.

Davis was vice president and part owner of Freeman Beverage, which was recently sold. His wife is patient services coordinator at the Cancer Center of Mary Washington Healthcare.

Germanna officials said the challenge campaign will provide a dollar-for-dollar match for all unrestricted gifts to the Germanna Educational Foundation that are "over and above" what a donor had given the previous year.

The money raised will go into the college's annual fund, which provides scholarships and addresses other needs at the school. The fund provides $175,000 in scholarships to 300 students every year.

"It will enable us to raise additional resources to fulfill the mission with which we are charged," Michael Catell, director of foundation and alumni relations at Germanna, said of the campaign.

"And for our foundation, this sets a new level of excellence."

Davis said the objective is to raise the full $200,000 by the end of 2011. He and his wife are willing to extend the campaign beyond 2011 if the goal is not reached, but he said he feels confident that it will be a success.

"Community colleges do way more than they did 20 years ago," he said. "Frankly, the foundation needs to step up and help with that, because the state can't do it alone."

Heather Brady: 540/374-5000 ext. 5779
Email: hbrady@freelancestar.com