Colorado State University Increases Private Support 47 Percent, Far Outpacing National Trend; Second Highest Fundraising Year in University History

Colorado State University experienced a 47 percent increase in private gift fundraising over the last 12 months, bucking the national trend for the second consecutive year. Nearly 28,000 donors – including 8,999 first-time supporters – gave more than $85 million to Colorado State in the 2010-11 fiscal year.

“We are enormously grateful to all those people who believe in and support CSU in whatever way they can. Every gift – whether $5 or $5 million – makes a big difference to Colorado State University, particularly during tough economic times when we’re balancing severe state funding cuts with the need to keep education affordable and of high quality,” said CSU President Tony Frank. “This level of private support makes an impact where it counts: It helps us hire and retain innovative, effective faculty members and educate and graduate successful students.”

The fundraising period was from July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011. Colorado State also witnessed sizable increases in overall alumni engagement, alumni volunteers and alumni association membership during this time.

Giving to education overall rose nationally 5.2 percent between 2009 and 2010, according to a report released by Giving USA Foundation. The report, online at www.aafrc.org, provides the latest numbers available which are based on calendar year totals. Colorado State’s $85 million total is based on CSU’s fiscal year, but comparable data shows the university’s fundraising was up 43 percent in the 2010 calendar year compared to 2009.

Specifically for higher education, the latest numbers available from the annual Voluntary Support of Education Survey released in February by the Council for Aid to Education shows that donations to higher education rose 0.5 percent during fiscal year 2010. More information is available at http://www.cae.org/content/pdf/VSE_2010_Press_Release.pdf. Although national numbers for fiscal year 2011 will not be released for a few months, Colorado State anticipates remaining well above the national average in private giving to higher education.

Colorado State’s fundraising success has been spurred on by enthusiasm for the university’s first comprehensive campaign, the Campaign for Colorado State University. With this fiscal year’s fundraising total, the Campaign for Colorado State surpassed the $425 million mark in the effort to raise $500 million by June 30, 2012.

“Our momentum is phenomenal and we owe this to the strong support of our alumni and friends. Seeing such large, double-digit increases in private support during this economic climate shows the incredible commitment and generosity of our Ram community and their belief in the amazing students, faculty and programs at this world-class university,” said Brett Anderson, vice president for University Advancement at CSU. “Our alumni and friends are remarkable in their support, and we are confident we will achieve our campaign goal by June 2012.”

With decreases in state funding for higher education, Colorado State relies more than ever on donors to support its future by investing in students and faculty. As the state’s land-grant research university, Colorado State is dedicated to ensuring that all qualified Colorado students have access to a premier research university education.

For more information about the Campaign for Colorado State, visit www.campaign.colostate.edu.

Fiscal Year 2010-11 (July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011) Fundraising Totals

• $85 million (second-highest year in CSU history)
• 27,677 overall donors
• 8,999 new donors
• 33 percent of total donors are new donors
• 11,157 alumni have donated
• 7.24 percent alumni participation rate (undergraduate)

Campaign for Colorado State University Fundraising Totals (July 1, 2005-June 30, 2011)

• $425 million campaign total to date
• 82,650 overall donors
• 48,504 new donors
• 59 percent of total donors are new donors since start of campaign
• 30,306 alumni have donated
• 56 million-dollar-plus donors (individuals, foundations, corporations have collectively given or committed more than $189.6 million)
• 383 new planned gifts

Fiscal Year 2010-11 (July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011) Fundraising Highlights and Impacts

• Engineering II – The Engineering II building is a prime example of students working with alumni and other supporters to create a better future for CSU students. Walter (engineering, ’53) and Suzanne Scott also recognized the need to educate future engineers and, impressed that students at CSU had pledged $30 million in student fees for the project, committed $10 million to begin building the facility. The new building will be a 122,000-square-foot interdisciplinary research and academic facility for the College of Engineering that will bring faculty and students together in teams focused on energy, health, and the environment, accommodating the college’s growing student enrollment and expanding research activities.

o Alumni Don and Susie Law donated $500,000 in initial funding for architectural design of Engineering II, and the Gates Family Foundation in Denver, impressed by CSU’s unique interdisciplinary research model, provided an additional $1 million.

• Anschutz Scholars – The Anschutz Foundation of Denver gave a $1 million grant to Colorado State University to award scholarships to Colorado high school graduates attending CSU. The grant will be expended in full over 10 years.

The grant reflects the foundation’s shared commitment to CSU’s land-grant mission of providing access and opportunity to world-class education. At the heart of this mission is the goal to help Coloradans with the drive and ability to pursue a college education regardless of financial circumstances.

• Student Support Grant – To help students who are having unexpected financial difficulties, Colorado State University established the Student Support Grant, an “emergency fund” for students close to graduation whose financial resources suddenly have been depleted due to the economy. Since it was created two years ago, 84 students have earned their degrees with help from the Student Support Grant – including 51 students in FY2010-11. The collective generosity of more than 1,100 donors has made their dreams possible.

• John and Jennifer Kutzik – Every month for 28 years, the Kutziks of Fort Collins have made contributions to CSU. The monthly amounts generally range from $5 to $45, in addition to a few larger gifts the couple has made, but cumulatively, their small contributions have made a big difference. More than $11,000 has been donated to the Morgan Library and CSU athletics programs through the couple’s generosity. “It’s all about making connections, and the CSU Library is a resource for the entire community,” said Jennifer Kutzik, a 38-year employee of the CSU Libraries. John is an emeritus professor of art. “We built a legacy of giving, even if it’s just a little bit at a time.”

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