Nov 23, 2009 | 03:17
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Aug 05, 2009
Fundraising closes year strong, focuses on campus priorities
Photo by Stephanie Diani.
While the nation’s severe economic downturn dampened gifts and pledges in the year ending June 30, UCLA officials said donors focused their philanthropy in areas identified as campus priorities.
Seventeen percent of the money raised in fiscal 2008-09 went toward faculty and student support, according to year-end gift totals, up from 13 percent the previous year. Among UCLA’s strategic priorities in recent years has been funding to recruit and retain the very best faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students.
In addition, the number of unrestricted gifts was up 7 percent from the previous year. Unrestricted gifts, which can be used at the discretion of academic leaders, provide a greater measure of flexibility to meet campus priorities.
“We have a sophisticated fundraising operation that can nimbly adjust to shifting realities,” said Tracie Christensen, associate vice chancellor for development, noting how the economic climate increased the importance of maintaining access and affordability for students. “Even though the economy has made people cautious, donors are responding to our request to support the people of the institution, and they clearly trust and support academic leadership to allocate gifts in areas where there is the greatest need.”
Gift and pledges for 2008-09 totaled $361 million. While that was down 25 percent from the previous year, Christensen noted that the $481 million raised in 2007-08 represented an exceptional year.
“Our fundraising total for 2008-09 was on par with years when we weren’t constrained by a poor economy, so we actually had a good year,” she said. Christensen also emphasized that 29 percent of the total came in the final quarter. Moreover, $33 million came in the final four weeks, a 165 percent increase from the previous year.
“We’re building a strong base of support and are very optimistic about the future,” she said. “Our donors are clearly engaged and committed to the institution. They know that any gift, large or small, helps to generate opportunities for students and to create knowledge through cutting-edge research that benefits society.”
One of the year’s highlights came in January, when Chancellor Gene Block launched the Bruin Scholars Initiative, which aims to raise half a billion dollars for graduate student fellowships and undergraduate scholarships in five years. The initiative refocuses an effort that generated $250 million to recruit and retain the very best faculty and graduate students and reflects the growing importance of maintaining access and affordability. Since July 2004, UCLA has created 101 new endowed professorships.
Seventeen percent of the money raised in fiscal 2008-09 went toward faculty and student support, according to year-end gift totals, up from 13 percent the previous year. Among UCLA’s strategic priorities in recent years has been funding to recruit and retain the very best faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students.
In addition, the number of unrestricted gifts was up 7 percent from the previous year. Unrestricted gifts, which can be used at the discretion of academic leaders, provide a greater measure of flexibility to meet campus priorities.
“We have a sophisticated fundraising operation that can nimbly adjust to shifting realities,” said Tracie Christensen, associate vice chancellor for development, noting how the economic climate increased the importance of maintaining access and affordability for students. “Even though the economy has made people cautious, donors are responding to our request to support the people of the institution, and they clearly trust and support academic leadership to allocate gifts in areas where there is the greatest need.”
Gift and pledges for 2008-09 totaled $361 million. While that was down 25 percent from the previous year, Christensen noted that the $481 million raised in 2007-08 represented an exceptional year. “Our fundraising total for 2008-09 was on par with years when we weren’t constrained by a poor economy, so we actually had a good year,” she said. Christensen also emphasized that 29 percent of the total came in the final quarter. Moreover, $33 million came in the final four weeks, a 165 percent increase from the previous year.
“We’re building a strong base of support and are very optimistic about the future,” she said. “Our donors are clearly engaged and committed to the institution. They know that any gift, large or small, helps to generate opportunities for students and to create knowledge through cutting-edge research that benefits society.”
One of the year’s highlights came in January, when Chancellor Gene Block launched the Bruin Scholars Initiative, which aims to raise half a billion dollars for graduate student fellowships and undergraduate scholarships in five years. The initiative refocuses an effort that generated $250 million to recruit and retain the very best faculty and graduate students and reflects the growing importance of maintaining access and affordability. Since July 2004, UCLA has created 101 new endowed professorships.
Christensen said that while philanthropy is critical to UCLA’s future, fundraising cannot serve as a replacement for major reductions in state funding, which covers general operating expenses. “In our experience, philanthropy is about donors following their passion and investing in particular areas of personal interest such as supporting a specific type of research, providing a student with an opportunity to attend UCLA or allowing a faculty member to pursue more thoroughly his or her teaching and research interest,” she said.
Christensen said it’s important to remember that UCLA is obligated to honor the requests of donors who ask that their gifts go toward specific uses.“Private giving provides a margin of excellence vital to UCLA's mission, serving as an important catalyst by providing seed funds for research that often lead to government grants, creating exponential positive impacts,” Christensen said.
