Donor Giving Sets Record

NC State added some icing to the cake for its 125th anniversary, reporting a record-breaking year for its fund-raising efforts. The university received gifts and pledges totaling more than $111 million in the 2012 fiscal year ending June 30, a significant increase over the previous year’s record of $107 million.

Gift receipts, an important measure of “cash in the door,” totaled $100 million, rising 6 percent over 2011.

Nevin Kessler, vice chancellor for university advancement, said the growth in giving was driven by the hard work of Chancellor Randy Woodson, fund-raisers across campus and volunteers supporting the university’s foundations and advisory boards.

“On behalf of the entire NC State advancement community, I want to thank the executive and academic leadership of the university, the faculty and staff, and especially our donors and volunteers for helping the university exceed our aggressive fund raising goals,” said Kessler. “In particular, special thanks to Chancellor Woodson for working tirelessly, hosting multiple events each week at the Point, as well participating in meetings on campus and across the nation to engage many of our most generous donors and potential donors.”

Thousands of New Donors

NC State’s annual giving program raised $1.9 million, a 34.5 percent increase over last year. The year also witnessed the addition of 3,000 new annual giving donors, almost 1,400 over the year’s goal. In fact, NC State leads the nation in attracting new donors, according to a survey of the nation’s 60 best public and private universities.

The effort to add new alumni donors was aided by a challenge gift from College of Engineering alumnus Tom Cabaniss, who gave $125,000 to the university’s Greatest Needs Fund.

Growing the Endowment

Gifts and commitments to the university’s endowment topped $36 million this year, showing strong donor support for one of Woodson’s top priorities.

“Surpassing the prestigious $100+ million mark in fund raising for the second consecutive year is a significant accomplishment for NC State,” added Kessler. “This new level of donor support is just the latest example of the broad recognition of excellence and the continual upward trajectory of this great university.”

This year’s increase in donor support gives the university strong momentum as it prepares for the soft launch of a comprehensive fund-raising campaign next July. The campaign is expected to be the largest fundraising effort in NC State history.