September 10, 2003

University of Minnesota Reaches $1.656 Billion
in Campaign Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The University of Minnesota announced today (Sept. 10) that it raised $1,655,703,867 in cash and pledges during its seven-year Campaign Minnesota. This amount surpassed its original goal of $1.3 billion and concluded the second most successful fund-raising campaign of any public university in the nation.
More than 220,000 individuals, foundations and other organizations contributed to the campaign, including 85,600 alumni and 11,000 faculty and staff. Nearly half -- 113,000 – were first-time donors to the U.

“The results from Campaign Minnesota have been truly amazing,” said University President Robert Bruininks. “The University of Minnesota is a different place today than it was seven years ago, and this transformation would not have happened without the generosity of hundreds of thousands of people. I am intensely proud of our alumni and friends, who have shown how important the University is to the people and businesses of Minnesota.”

The final year of the campaign brought in $296 million in gifts and pledges, the most ever raised in a single year.

“Campaign Minnesota has set a new standard for the University in its fund-raising goals, and even though it was a great success, we will not be taking a break from fund-raising,” said Bruininks. “The need for private support is actually greater than ever, to help students meet the cost of tuition, to maintain the quality of our programs, to support critical areas of research, and to meet other needs.”

Among the highlights of Campaign Minnesota are:

• The amount available for scholarships and fellowships has tripled as a result of new gifts. Thousands more students are being helped today than before the campaign.

• Donors included 338 who gave $1 million or more. This included 19 who gave $5 million to $10 million; and 17 who gave $10 million or more.

• Gifts for faculty support created 110 new endowed faculty chairs and professorships, which help the University retain and recruit top scholars. There are 372 endowed positions at the University today.

• More than 25 facilities were built, expanded or renovated. Campuses now have designated arts quarters, with the Weber Music Hall in Duluth, and the Barbara Barker Dance Center and Regis Center for Art in the Twin Cities. New classrooms and laboratories have improved teaching and research.

About half the amount raised, or $683 million, was designated by donors for endowment, surpassing the endowment goal of $540 million.

“A strong endowment helps to give the University financial stability for programs designated by donors,” said Gerald B. Fischer. “Endowment gifts are one of the best ways for donors to make a lasting difference on the quality of the University because they continue to benefit programs far into the future.”

Hundreds of volunteers worked on behalf of University colleges and campuses to help get the word out about campaign goals. “A wonderful outcome of the campaign was that we were able to make connections with so many people about the work of the University and how alumni and friends could help,” said Russell Bennett, ’52, the volunteer chair of the campaign. “I have been very touched by how much people care about this University.”

Private gifts provide about 12 percent of the University’s revenues each year, and about 98 percent of all gifts are designated for specific uses by donors.

The campaign total includes cash gifts and future commitments such as bequests.