January 30, 2012 | Art Sorrentino, UConn Foundation

Fundraising Campaign Tops $300 Million Mark

The Our University. Our Moment. Campaign is halfway to its $600 million goal.

The UConn Foundation on the Storrs Campus.

Campaign logo.

The University of Connecticut Foundation announced today that it has raised $302.4 million in its current capital campaign – the largest ever in the University’s history – surpassing the midpoint of the $600 million effort.

The milestone was achieved in part with record donations of $25.1 million during the first half of the current fiscal year, which, as of Dec. 31, 2011, represents the most successful first six months of any year during the campaign. During this period, Peter and Pamela Werth pledged $4.5 million to the Division of Athletics for construction of a basketball practice facility. The Foundation also reported a positive trend in the number of donors, including a significant 20 percent increase among parents of current students, who responded to a challenge grant that matched their donations.

“We’re extremely pleased with the results, and we believe the elevated level of giving will continue throughout the new year, as our alumni and friends realize the essential role of private philanthropy in sustaining UConn as one of the top 20 public universities in the country,” says UConn Foundation President John Martin. The Foundation’s ambitious Our University. Our Moment. fundraising campaign aims to substantially increase the University’s endowment and to provide critical resources to support students, faculty, and programs across all of UConn’s campuses and the UConn Health Center.

“We’re delighted by the increased level of giving for the Division of Athletics in recent months,” says Martin. The Foundation is raising funds for a new $30 million basketball training facility, which will be the first major construction project on campus funded entirely through private donations. The 70,000-square-foot facility will have dedicated practice gyms for men’s and women’s basketball, along with locker rooms, coaches’ offices, and areas for academic support, video analysis, sports medicine, and strength training.

“Great universities don’t occur by chance,” says President Susan Herbst. “They come by identifying and supporting areas of excellence, and then leveraging that excellence to enhance the entire university. UConn is investing in infrastructure and in faculty and in key programs such as Bioscience Connecticut and the Technology Park, but we cannot achieve success on our own. Philanthropic support is absolutely essential to our ongoing progress.”

The following additional milestones for the campaign were achieved:

  • About $200 million has been raised to support academic programs, along with $52.7 million for scholarships, nearly $20.6 million for faculty support, and almost $29.2 million for capital improvements;
  • Support for athletics totaled $80.7 million, while commitments for the Health Center totaled nearly $71 million;
  • $85.3 million was designated for endowment, with $217.1 million designated for current operations;
  • The number of donors totaled 77,503, with UConn alumni accounting for nearly 39 percent of the total raised.

“With the support and encouragement of President Herbst, the Foundation is stepping up its fundraising efforts for the entire university and for Bioscience Connecticut,” says Martin. “We are grateful to Gov. Malloy for his renewed commitment to the University, and to the UConn Foundation Board of Directors for its volunteer leadership and financial support. I am confident we will achieve our goals for the University.”