University of Illinois Launches $2.25. Billion Campaign; Commitments Total Over $990 Million

Commitments Total Over $990 Million

The University of Illinois launched the largest fundraising effort in the school’s 140‑year history on Friday, June 1. The goal of Brilliant Futures: The Campaign for the University of Illinois is to raise $2.25 billion to support students, faculty, research, programs and campus environments. The U of I Foundation has received commitments of $990.8 million in gifts, grants and pledges to the campaign as of May 29, 2007, according to Foundation President, Sidney S. Micek.

The Brilliant Futures Campaign was publicly launched at an event attended by over 1,115 alumni and other supporters at Chicagos Navy Pier. The Campaign began on July 1, 2003 with its planning phase and will continue its eight and one‑half year quest through year‑end 2011.

U of I Campaign Among Nation’s Elite and Largest for Public or Private Universities

Currently there are 29 U.S. universities, including Illinois, with campaigns with goals of $1 billion or more. The Illinois campaign at $2.25 billion will rank among the elite and largest campaigns for higher education in the nation. There are just 10 campaigns that are, or have, been launched or completed that are larger. Six of these are private universities (Columbia, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Stanford and Yale) and four are public institutions (Michigan, UCLA, Virginia and Washington).

Of the total $2.25 billion Campaign objective, $1.5 billion is the goal for the Urbana‑Champaign campus; $650 million is for the Chicago campus and $28 million is for the Springfield campus. The combined goal for University administration and the U of I Foundation is $72 million. The funding goals were determined by the chancellors at each of the three campuses according to priorities identified in a University‑wide strategic planning process initiated by University President B. Joseph White in 2005.