Brandeis enjoys another strong fundraising year

Hearty support from young alumni, Class of '12 and online givers

Bolstered by strong support from young alumni, the senior class and donors who gave online, Brandeis University again surpassed the $60 million mark in cash gifts for fiscal year 2012.

Donors made gifts totaling $60,999,486 in the fiscal year that concluded on June 30, marking the 13th consecutive year Brandeis raised at least $60 million.

“Once again, Brandeis supporters around the world showed their remarkable devotion to the university and our students and faculty,” President Fred Lawrence said. “I want to thank our alumni, friends, trustees, parents and members of the Brandeis National Committee for their extraordinary generosity.”

Thanks to the new Bold (Brandeisians of the Last Decade) Program, giving among alumni who graduated within the last 10 years jumped 19 percent from the previous year. Bold, which the Office of Development and Alumni Relations launched last fall, features new programming and special opportunities designed to strengthen the young alumni community, develop future alumni leaders and cultivate annual giving.

“Perhaps the most encouraging element of this strong fundraising year is the degree to which our young alumni are supporting Brandeis,” said Malcolm Sherman, P ’83, chair of the Brandeis Board of Trustees. “Our alumni understand that the future of the University is in their hands and that their ongoing support and engagement is crucial.”

In another sign of a bright future ahead for Brandeis fundraising, an all-time high of 75 percent of the Class of 2012 contributed to the senior class gift. The old record, set in 2011, was 71 percent. President Lawrence and his wife, Kathy, made a generous contribution based on the senior class’s unprecedented participation level. Additionally, 35 percent of the seniors who supported the gift pledged to make a donation to the Annual Fund in each of the next five years.

“For our senior class to support Brandeis so enthusiastically is a testament to the way they feel about their educational experience,” said Trustee Jonathan Davis ’75, co-chair of the board’s development committee. “It is gratifying to see this level of commitment from our youngest alumni.”

During fiscal year 2012, Brandeis also met the $1 Million Online Giving Challenge by raising $1,003,196 through the university’s secure giving website. The previous online high for a single year was $698,573, established in fiscal 2011. Online giving to Brandeis has more than doubled in the last three years.

The leadership of the Brandeis Alumni Association, which is comprised of the Board of Directors and presidents of alumni clubs around the world, gave gifts totaling $472,772, an all-time high and an increase of 22 percent from last year.

“This is a milestone for the board and for Brandeis as alumni step up to the responsibilities of our maturing stewardship,” said Anne Reilly Hort ’67, P ’91, P ’93, an Alumni Association vice president and chair of the board’s Annual Fund Committee.

Corporations and foundations gave nearly $20.5 million, a jump of 24 percent from a year ago. Notable gifts came from the Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation; which established the Peter Gruber Endowed Chair in Neuroscience; the Crown Family Philanthropies, funder of the Charles (Corky) Goodman Endowed Chair in Middle East History, and the Jewish Foundation for the Education of Women.

The Brandeis Board of Trustees also continued its strong support. Gifts from trustees accounted for 15 percent of all the money raised in fiscal year 2012.

“These are exciting times for Brandeis,” said Nancy Winship, P ’10, P ’12, senior vice president of institutional advancement. “The strong leadership and tireless efforts of President Fred Lawrence are having an impact. He has expanded our donor base with new friends and re-engaged alumni. In my 18 years at Brandeis, I have never felt more optimistic about the future of the university.”