University of Illinois, U of I Foundation Extend Fundraising Success

The University of Illinois and the University of Illinois Foundation continue to raise the fundraising bar.

Figures for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2014, were announced Friday, Sept. 19, at the Foundation’s Annual Meeting, with about 400 alumni and donors, including elected Foundation Board of Directors, Foundation Members, members of the President’s Council, and members of the Chancellor’s Circle, in attendance.

The University and UIF registered a record $259.5 million in outright cash gifts, pledge payments, annuities/life income gifts, and estate distributions in FY 2014, noted Walter Knorr, U of I chief financial officer and treasurer of the U of I Foundation. This cash flow total was 10.5 percent more than the $234.9 million generated in FY 2013. The FY 2014 cash flow total marks the seventh straight year of more than $210 million.

The U of I Foundation processed 151,250 gifts in FY 14, a 4 percent increase from a year ago.

Of the $259.5 million raised last fiscal year, foundations were the largest donor source at 29.1 percent, followed by alumni (23.4%), corporations (21.2%), friends (14.1%), and other sources (12.2%). Donors designated $69.2 million for research, $35.8 million for student support, $32.4 million for academic programs, $28 million for facilities, $15.2 million for public service, $7.2 million for faculty support, and $3.9 million for other areas. Of the $259.5 million, $67.8 million was for unrestricted use. More than two‑thirds (67%, or $173.8 million) of the $259.5 million was designated as current use funds (to be used during the current fiscal year), 29.3 percent ($76 million) was designated for the endowment, and 3.7 percent ($9.7 million) was designated for annuity/life income funds.

The University and UIF also recorded $262.4 million in new business, comprised of new gifts, grants, pledges and deferred commitments, in FY14. This marks the eighth consecutive year that new business has surpassed the $250 million mark. Of the new business total, $85.4 million (32.6%) was provided by alumni, $68 million (25.9%) by foundations, $46.7 million (17.8%) by corporations, $32.1 million (12.2%) by friends, and $30.2 million (11.5%) by other sources. 

The combined University and U of I Foundation endowment stood at $3.2 billion as of June 30, 2014. Of that total, almost $2.3 billion represents the active endowment, $776.5 million is revocable deferred, and $141.1 million is irrevocable deferred. Almost 90 percent of the combined active endowment is pooled investments that now total more than $2 billion. The combined endowment pool has experienced exponential growth since dipping below $1 billion in 2008. The one‑year return of the endowment pool (for FY 2014) was 14.7 percent. The three‑year return was 9.7 percent and the five‑year return was 12.9 percent. 

“As the numbers indicate, the University had a terrific year in fundraising,” said Thomas J. Farrell, president of the University of Illinois Foundation. “Equally important, private giving is well aligned with our strategic direction and academic priorities. Our generous alumni and friends are committed to the University of Illinois, and in ensuring its place as one the best public research universities in the nation and world. It is our goal to keep building on this success and momentum.”

The University of Illinois is a world leader in research and discovery, the largest educational institution in the state with more than 78,000 students, and campuses in Urbana‑Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. The U of I awards more than 20,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees annually.

The University of Illinois Foundation, which was established in 1935, is dedicated to securing and administering private gifts for the University of Illinois and its three campuses.