An increase in donor giving to NC State propelled the university to a strong showing on a prestigious list of the nation’s top fundraising organizations.
Gift receipts of $131.4 million in fiscal year 2012-13 — a record for the university — landed NC State at No. 166 on the Philanthropy 400, an annual ranking published by the Chronicle of Philanthropy to identify the nonprofit organizations that raise the most in private donations.
The university performed exceptionally well compared to other higher education institutions, placing 25th among public colleges and universities in the U.S.
There’s no sign that private giving to NC State is slowing down. This fall, the university received two multimillion-dollar donations: $4 million from Steve and Judy Zelnak to create the first endowed Dean’s Chair in the Poole College of Management, and $8.1 million from Moise and Vera Khayrallah to establish a center for diaspora studies in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Public and Private Funding Grows
NC State’s strong performance on the Philanthropy 400 list comes on the heels of several major federal research grants to the university, including $140 million for an advanced manufacturing institute, $60 million to establish a big data laboratory and $25 million to combat the spread of nuclear weapons.
This increase in both public and private dollars adds up to better opportunities for students, more resources for faculty and new high-tech jobs for the state.
“Even in the midst of the significant state budget cuts and seriously challenging economic times over the last three years, our momentum at NC State has never been stronger,” Chancellor Randy Woodson said.
Under Woodson’s leadership, the university’s endowment has grown 76 percent in four years and is poised to top $1 billion in the current fiscal year.
Donors Step Up
Brian Sischo, vice chancellor for university advancement, said NC State is working to engage a wide spectrum of supporters, from top donors like the Zelnaks to first-year students and recent graduates. It’s been a successful strategy, he notes, enabling the university to increase the number of donors by 36 percent in four years.
Sischo also noted that donors have stepped up their support for capital projects on campus, such as the Lonnie Poole Golf Course, the Carol Johnson Poole Clubhouse, the new chancellor’s residence and the new home for the Gregg Museum of Art and Design. The university system has historically tapped state funds to pay for new facilities, such as the Hunt Library on Centennial Campus, but state appropriations have steadily declined in recent years. That makes private support and fundraising more crucial than ever.
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