The University of Vermont had its best fundraising year in history for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011, raising a grand total of $29,069,046 in support of UVM people, programs, and facilities.
The total, a 4.5 percent increase over 2010, marks four consecutive years of growth in private giving to UVM. It exceeds the previous record-of $28,615,707 set in 2007, the final year of UVM’s last comprehensive campaign, which raised more than $278,000,000 in support of UVM priorities.
‘This is a remarkable result for us even in the best of times,’ said President Daniel Mark Fogel. ‘Given what the national and world economies have gone through in recent years, four consecutive years of growth is an extraordinary vote of confidence in the university, and we’re very grateful to our donors for their support.’
The impact of private giving spanned across the entire university, touching on everything from financial assistance for medical students to program support for the Asian Studies Outreach Program in the College of Education and Social Services, the ‘Greening of Aiken’ renovation project, scholarships and facilities for UVM Athletics, and operating support for UVM’s historic Morgan Horse Farm. Donors also generously supported UVM programs and initiatives that benefit Vermont seniors and children, such as the UVM Center on Aging and the Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education. Included in this year’s total is nearly $9 million in new endowed and current use financial aid support for students.
UVM has fared well in the fundraising arena compared with national trends. According to data from the Council for Aid to Education, charitable contributions to the nation’s colleges and universities were roughly flat during fiscal 2010 following a precipitous decline of 11.9 percent in 2009, and overall, giving was 8 percent lower in 2010 than it was in 2006 in inflation-adjusted terms. Comparable data for fiscal 2011 have not yet been released.
This spring, the university announced it would reorganize its fundraising activities under the aegis of a new nonprofit corporation, The University of Vermont Foundation. O. Richard Bundy, III is president and chief executive officer of the new organization.
‘A record year in fundraising is the perfect start for the foundation and just the first of what we expect will be many such milestones in the years ahead,’ Bundy said. ‘Our foundation board is poised to engage in the fundraising enterprise at UVM to raise that bar even higher. What’s been accomplished here is a tribute to our donors and speaks very highly of the fundraising capabilities already in place at UVM as we continue to build our foundation and plan for the university’s next comprehensive campaign.’
UVM 7.11.2011