UA Fundraising Campaign Tops $108 Million

The University of Arkansas topped $108.1 million in private gift support for the fiscal year ended June 30, surpassing its goal of $103 million.

This is the first time the university exceeded $100 million in fundraising totals for two consecutive years. During fiscal year 2011, $121.3 million in private gifts were secured.

The campus recorded 82,582 outright gifts and new pledges from 46,063 benefactors during the 2012 fiscal year.

“In 2011, charitable giving rose by less than 1 percent nationally, reminding us that our country continues to face economic challenges,” said Brad Choate, vice chancellor for university advancement. “We are deeply appreciative of the many alumni, friends, organizations, faculty and staff members who continue to include the university in their philanthropic decisions.”

The $108.1 million total includes outright gifts of cash, gifts-in-kind, planned gifts and new pledges received from July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012. Of this total, $26.2 million was designated to support athletics and the Razorback Foundation.

Cash receipts, which include pledge payments, outright gifts and estate and planned gift distributions, totaled $97.5 million compared to $109.1 million the previous year.

Of the $108.1 million raised for academic and athletic programs in 2011-12:

• 31 percent came from individual alumni, friends, faculty and staff
• 35 percent came from corporations
• 26 percent came from foundations
• 8 percent came from other organizations

While 35 percent of the donations supported students and programs, 46 percent supported capital improvements, 12 percent supported faculty and staff and 7 percent supported other initiatives.

The non-endowed total was $95.8 million, and these funds were made available for current use. The remaining $12.2 million, or 11.3 percent, went toward the university’s endowment.