George Washington University fundraising bucks national trends

Annual giving to George Washington University increased 9 percent in 2011, with annual donations to the university topping $5.3 million as of June 6.

Annual giving — all directly solicited gifts of up to $25,000 — represents 5.7 percent of the $92 million raised by GW so far this year. Complete fundraising totals will not be calculated until after the end of the fiscal year, June 30.

Last year, giving reached $4.8 million, up 14 percent from 2008.

Although annual giving rose, overall fundraising remains comparable to last fiscal year, when GW took in $93.82 million.