UA private gifts exceed $103 million goal

The University of Arkansas announced Monday (Aug. 13) that during the fiscal year ending June 30 it raised $108.1 million in private gift support, 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,” Brad Choate, vice chancellor for university advancement, said in a statement. “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% came from individual alumni, friends, faculty and staff;
35% came from corporations;
26% came from foundations; and,
8% came from other organizations.

While 35% of the donations supported students and programs, 46% supported capital improvements, 12% supported faculty and staff and 7% 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%, went toward the university’s endowment.