Syracuse University Campaign Rakes in $110 Million in First Year

Jan. 31, 2009, The Post-Standard — Despite a struggling economy, Syracuse University raised $110 million in the first year of the public portion of its five-year $1 billion fundraising campaign.

That brought the total SU effort to about $620 million as of Dec. 31, the most recent reporting date, said Brian Sischo, SU's associate vice president for development.

"We're feeling good about where things are at this point in the campaign," he said.

SU appears to be on track to raise $1 billion, said Naomi Levine, director of New York University's George H. Heyman Jr. Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising.

The university publicly launched its campaign in November 2007. It had already raised $509.3 million by then. University officials have set a goal of raising $1 billion by the end of June 2012.

Most organizations wait until they have raised 45 to 50 percent of their goal before announcing a campaign.

"It's not unusual," Levine said. "You don't want to look foolish."

With companies laying people off, the credit crisis and the chaos on Wall Street, some fundraising professionals are worried raising money will become more difficult in the future, Levine said.

"All of these things are bound to affect our fundraising in the next year," Levine said. "Everyone is very concerned about what the next year or two will bring."

SU is one of 33 colleges and universities that have $1 billion fundraising campaigns under way that are being monitored by The Chronicle of Higher Education, a higher education publication.

The amounts raised monthly at some institutions are staggering.

From Oct. 31 through Nov. 30, Johns Hopkins University reported raising $67 million; Cornell University reported raising $21.7 million; and Columbia University raised $40 million, according to The Chronicle.

SU raised $17 million in that same time frame.

The university recently launched two campaigns under the umbrella of its overall campaign.