Donations To U Of I & Foundation Set New Record

Donations to the University of Illinois and the U of I Foundation came close to half-a-billion dollars during the fiscal year that ended June 30th.

The record $498.5 million in so-called “new business” includes $302.6 million in cash. The totals were announced Friday as hundreds of donors gathered on the Urbana campus for the U of I Foundation’s annual meeting.

The record total includes the $150 million naming gift for the Gies College of Business, from U of I alumni Larry and Beth Gies.

The donations for the U of I during FY 2018 break a previous record set in FY 2013. And it marks a 75% increase over FY 2017 donations.  

FY 2018’s donations were supported by fundraising campaigns at each of the University of Illinois’ three campuses: “With Illinois” on the Urbana campus, “IGNITE” in Chicago, and “Reaching Stellar” at the U of I Springfield campus.