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IU shatters fundraising campaign goal, raises nearly $3.9 billion to support students, state

For Immediate Release Oct 8, 2020

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana University raised nearly $3.9 billion during its first universitywide philanthropic campaign, far surpassing its original goal and strengthening the university’s missions to ensure an affordable and accessible education, prepare students to become future global leaders, and advance research and innovation that improve people’s lives.

Funds from For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign, which was publicly launched in September 2015, have endowed more than 5,800 undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships – a 45.4 percent increase over the total created during the university’s entire 190-year history before the campaign. These awards keep IU affordable and will give students from disadvantaged backgrounds – who may not otherwise be able to pursue a degree – the opportunity to earn an IU education. The campaign has also raised funds to endow 235 professorial positions – a 51.5 percent increase over the previous total.

An infographic highlighting key figures from the Bicentennial Campaign
An accessible transcript of this infographic is available online.Infographic by Tyler Lake, Indiana University

More than 320,000 IU alumni and friends from all 50 states and more than 100 countries contributed to the campaign. Collectively, they contributed a final total of $3.86 billion, making the campaign one of the most successful campaigns ever at a U.S. public university. Of all university campaigns completed in the past 10 years, IU’s is the 12th largest overall and the third largest among public universities. 

The final totals were announced by IU President Michael A. McRobbie on Oct. 8 at a virtual closing celebration of the campaign. The event featured testimonials from IU students and faculty whose academic and research successes have benefited from philanthropic giving to IU.

“Over the past eight years, the Bicentennial Campaign has galvanized hundreds of thousands of IU supporters,” McRobbie said. “It has transformed the landscapes of IU’s campuses with state-of-the-art facilities. It has helped to ensure the future success of a number of IU schools that now bear the names of their supporters. It has generated support for our most outstanding faculty. And it has offered the promise of an affordable education to some of the state’s and the country’s very best students.

“We owe our deepest gratitude to the unwavering generosity, dedication and loyalty of the more than 320,000 IU alumni and friends who contributed to this campaign. The enormous impact of your generosity, which has touched so many lives, will endure through the next century.”

Upon its public launch, the campaign set a goal of $2.5 billion to be raised by IU’s Bicentennial in 2020 – the largest campaign goal in the history of the university. The campaign supported four broad university priorities identified within the Bicentennial Strategic Plan for Indiana University, which was recently brought to conclusion. The priorities were: supporting IU students and enabling their success; preparing the next generation of global leaders; developing new ideas that change the way we live; and creating a healthier state, nation and world.

The initial campaign target was quickly reached, and in fall 2017, the goal was raised to $3 billion.

During the virtual celebration, McRobbie highlighted the contributions IU faculty and staff made to the campaign’s success. More than 20,000 current and former faculty and staff members donated over $275 million to the campaign.

McRobbie also recognized the major impact made on the campaign by the IU School of Medicine and its faculty and staff. Under the leadership of Jay Hess, School of Medicine dean and executive vice president for university clinical affairs, the school raised more than $1.7 billion for the campaign.

The final campaign total also included more than $1.6 billion in gifts and grants from nongovernmental organizations, such as philanthropic foundations, endowments and companies.

McRobbie also praised the fundraising impact of IU’s regional campuses, which deliver an IU education to every corner of the state. Together, IU’s regional campuses raised nearly $83 million, which is enabling them to provide a high-quality and distinctive educational experience that fulfills the educational and career needs and aspirations of students; to tackle the difficult work of increasing the number of Hoosiers with valuable degrees; and to continue to improve graduation rates for students with a wide variety of backgrounds and educational and life experiences.

For All saw more than 156,000 individuals make their first gifts to IU. All gifts that IU receives are spent or used according to the donor’s intent.

“Thanks to our alumni and friends, the For All campaign has truly brought out the best of Indiana University,” IU Foundation President Dan Smith said. “The remarkable results could not have been achieved without the steady leadership and inspiring vision of President McRobbie and by the tireless efforts of our deans, other academic leaders and university advancement staff.

“It has been an honor to be a part of such a rewarding and collaborative effort. Philanthropy has helped shape who we are today. As a result of the support raised by the For All campaign, IU is positioned to create the talent and the innovations necessary to advance our state, nation and world.”

For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign

For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign took place on all IU-administered campuses, including IU Bloomington, IUPUI, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend and IU Southeast. The campaign concluded on Sept. 30, 2020. To learn more about the campaign and its impact, visit forall.iu.edu.

About the Indiana University Foundation

Founded in 1936, the Indiana University Foundation maximizes private support for Indiana University by fostering lifelong relationships with key stakeholders and providing advancement leadership and fundraising services for campuses and units across the university.

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Chuck Carney

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