NU Foundation collects $165M in fiscal year 2012

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Donors gave $165 million to the University of Nebraska Foundation in the 2012 fiscal year. The total ranks as the foundation's third biggest fundraising year.

“We’re grateful to all who gave any amount to provide critical resources to advance the university and its growing stature,” said Peter Whitted, chair of the University of Nebraska Foundation board of directors.

During the fiscal year that ended June 30, the foundation transferred nearly $124 million to the university campuses. Funds transferred supported students ($18 million); faculty ($4.6 million); research ($7.3 million); academic programs ($38.4 million); museums, libraries and fine arts ($3.1 million); campus and capital improvements ($51.3 million); and the four alumni associations ($1 million).

As with previous years, more than 99 percent of all gifts were directed by donors to specific purposes or campuses. Because of this, the foundation has few discretionary funds available.

Driving the strong fundraising year was the Campaign for Nebraska, the university’s current fundraising initiative now in its seventh year. In May, the foundation announced campaign gifts exceeded the original goal to raise $1.2 billion. More than 82,000 donors have contributed so far to the campaign, which concludes in 2014.

The market value of the foundation’s total assets was $1.8 billion on June 30, up slightly from the year before. The endowment, which is the largest portion of total assets, realized a return of -2.6 percent. The negative return was due to volatility in many asset classes, especially the international equities market.

The foundation's largest fundraising total was $172.1 million collected in fiscal year 2011. The second-highest total raised was $166.5 million in 2008.

The fundraising results were reported at the annual meeting of the foundation's board on Oct. 26.

In other business, Bill Jackman of Dallas and John Massey of Scottsbluff were approved as new board members; Harley Bergmeyer of DeWitt and Jim Young of Omaha were given the foundation's top volunteer award; and University of Nebraska at Kearney professor Peter Longo received the Harlan J. Noddle award for an employee's distinguished service in the area of development.

For more information on the NU Foundation, go to http://nufoundation.org/annual reports.