University of Illinois Brilliant Futures Campaign Passes 76% Mark Toward $2.25 Billion Goal

The University of Illinois’ Brilliant Futures Campaign, the largest in the school’s 142‑year history, has passed the $1.707 billion mark towards its $2.25 billion goal as of Aug. 31, 2009.

The Campaign began on July 1, 2003, and will conclude Dec. 31, 2011. The Campaign counts outright gifts, grants, and pledges to the University as well as deferred commitments. Of the $1.707 billion raised to date, $1.182 billion were outright commitments and $524.5 million were in deferred gift arrangements. $990.1 million has been designated for current use and $716.6 million designated for endowments.

“Everybody associated with the University of Illinois and its three campuses is most pleased with the progress we have made to date with the Brilliant Futures Campaign,” said University of Illinois Foundation President Sidney S. Micek. “In this tough economic climate, we are most fortunate to have such supportive alumni and friends of the University.”

As of Aug. 31, 2009, $1.211 billion had been designated by donors for the Urbana‑Champaign campus, $432 million for UIC, $21.5 million for UIS and $41.9 for the U of I Foundation and University Administration purposes. The funds are used to support many areas, including student scholarships and fellowships, faculty support, academic programs, facilities, and research.

Nearly $665 million of the total raised has come from alumni of the University, with another $214 million from non‑alumni. Corporations and businesses have contributed $338 million and $319 million from foundations.

Of the $2.25 billion Brilliant Futures Campaign goal, $1.5 billion is for the Urbana‑Champaign campus. The goal for the Chicago campus is $650 million and the Springfield campus mark is $28 million. The combined goal for University Administration and the U of I Foundation is $72 million.

This is the third comprehensive capital campaign for the University of Illinois. The initial fundraising endeavor, Campaign for Illinois, exceeded its $100 million goal by raising $137 million between 1979 and 1985. The second effort, Campaign Illinois, was launched in 1991 with a goal of $1 billion. When that campaign closed on Dec. 31, 2000, gifts totaled $1.53 billion, making it one of the largest fundraising efforts conducted by a public university at that time.