FY 2019 fundraising report one of the highest in history for the U of I Foundation; U of I System campaign progress soars to 75.7 percent toward goal

URBANA, Ill. — The University of Illinois System and the University of Illinois Foundation announced today an impressive fundraising report for fiscal year 2019 with $462.9 million in new business, comprised of new gifts, grants, pledges, and deferred commitments.

Fundraising for the fiscal year that ended June 30 was second only to last year’s impressive $498.5 million, and marks just the third time that the fiscal year total surpassed $400 million. The Foundation first reached the $400 million milestone in fiscal year 2013 with $434.9 million in new business.

Of the new business total, 62 percent was contributed by alumni ($134.1 million or 29 percent) and family foundations ($150.8 million or 33 percent). The remaining 38 percent came from corporations ($55.6 million), friends ($54.4 million), foundations ($25.4 million), and “other” ($42.6 million). (The “other” category includes giving vehicles such as donor advised funds, which continue to grow in popularity by individual donors.)

The FY 2019 financial report was announced today at the Foundation’s 84th Annual Business Meeting held on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana‑Champaign. The business meeting is a cornerstone of the yearly Foundation Weekend that brings hundreds of donors, newly elected governing directors, Foundation members, and friends to the Urbana campus for meetings and events to celebrate the impact of private support for the University of Illinois System.

“I continue to be overwhelmed by the generosity of our donors and I am proud of their loyalty and confidence in the University of Illinois System,” President Tim Killeen said. “We will reward their trust, using their investment to build on the momentum that is increasing our power as an engine of progress making our system a model for higher education in the 21st century.”

The financial report includes $298.7 million in outright cash gifts, pledge payments, annuity/life income gifts, and estate distributions. It was the second highest figure in history, trailing the historic high bar set last year by just under $4 million. Cash flow total surpassed the $220 million mark for the seventh consecutive year.

Of this fiscal year’s cash totals, the greatest contributions came from alumni (26 percent), family foundations (21 percent), and corporations (26 percent). The remaining 27 percent was contributed by friends (10 percent), foundations (4 percent), and the category of “other” (13 percent).

The cash flow allocation was designated by donors to a number of categories including $75.8 million for research, $46.7 million for student support, $25.2 million for facilities, $23.9 million for academic programs, $11.2 million for faculty support, $11.8 million for public service, and $4.4 million for other areas. Of the $298.7 million total, $99.7 million was designated by donors to a university, college, department or program for its unrestricted use at the discretion of the dean or unit head.

The majority (69.1 percent, or $206.4 million) of the $298.7 million was designated as current use funds (to be used during the current fiscal year), while 29.9 percent ($89.3 million) was designated for the endowment and 1.0 percent ($3.0 million) was designated for annuity/life income funds.

The University and U of I Foundation combined active endowment stood at $2.82 billion as of June 30, 2019.

“Support for the University of Illinois comes in many different shapes and sizes—from thousands of individuals, corporations, and foundations each year,” said U of I Foundation President/CEO James H. Moore.  “Together, our donors create a collective power that pushes our universities to remarkable heights. I am incredibly grateful for their generosity and awed by their powerful investments in our three extraordinary universities through our With Illinois, Ignite, and Reaching Stellar campaigns.”

The University of Illinois System is ahead of pace through its most ambitious, $3.1 billion fundraising initiative that is comprised of three unique fundraising campaigns for each university in Urbana, Chicago, and Springfield. As of September 30, 2019 the campaigns are collectively 75.7 percent toward the goal, together having raised an impressive $2.35 billion. The individual campaign progress for each of the universities through September 30, 2019 is as follows:

• With Illinois—The Campaign for Illinois:  $1.79 billion raised or 79.5 percent toward goal
• IGNITE—The Campaign for UIC: $500.2 million raised or 66.7 percent toward goal
• Reaching Stellar—The Campaign for UIS: $31.4 million raised 78.5 percent toward goal

(The campaign progress figure of $2.35 billion also includes additional gifts of $26.5 million to the U of I Foundation, the U of I System, and the U of I Alumni Alliance)

About the University of Illinois System
and the U of I Foundation

The University of Illinois System is a world leader in research and discovery, the largest educational institution in the state with nearly 89,000 students, and universities in Urbana‑Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield. The U of I awards more than 22,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees annually.

The University of Illinois Foundation, established in 1935, is dedicated to securing and administering private gifts for the University of Illinois System and its three universities. The Foundation works with alumni, faculty, corporations, foundations and campus development staff members to create fundraising programs and opportunities that benefit the University of Illinois System and its three universities.