UAB raised $88.6 million dollar in gifts and pledges this past fiscal year, some 4.9 percent more than the year’s $84.5 million goal — and only slightly less than the university’s historical best of $91.5 million in the previous year.

Kahn

UAB raised $392.4 million since the Maintaining the Momentum effort began in 2004, while The Campaign for UAB raised $388.7 million between 1998-2003. The Maintaining the Momentum initiative exceeded its five-year goal by 6.2 percent.

Shirley Salloway Kahn, Ph.D., vice president for Development, Alumni and External Relations, said this achievement is especially significant considering that UAB has continued to grow private support while competing for funds with other fundraising efforts in an economy that has softened.

“This tells us that people who come in contact with our faculty, staff and students are confident that UAB is always a good investment,” Kahn said.

Kahn attributed the success to “strong leadership, good strategic planning, identifiable benchmarks, great support in the community, and faculty, staff and students whose accomplishments are recognized nationwide.” Likewise, she said, donors have been encouraged and rewarded as they have seen their gifts help transform the physical campus and read about the new programs and services that have been initiated because of their gifts.

“Often factors like competing campaigns and financial uncertainties can make it difficult for any organization to achieve its fundraising goals, especially five years after a public campaign has ended," Kahn said. "But we have stayed focused on telling the story of UAB — its influence on the lives of students, the research that changes the world and the excellence in patient care.  And because of that, 20,020 individuals, 991 corporations and 719 foundations gave or pledged another $88.6 million this year.”

More than $71.6 million of the $88.6 million raised this past year was donated to support faculty, research, programs and scholarships; that represents 80.7 percent of all commitments made to UAB this past year, she said. A most encouraging statistic is that $86.9 million of the total is outright gifts – money that is available to the university for immediate use.

UAB President Carol Garrison praised Kahn, the entire development staff, deans and faculty for their diligence “and great teamwork, which has been key to our success. By continuing our focus on stewarding past and current donors, while searching for new funding prospects, I am confident we will sustain this upward trajectory.

“While private funds can never supplant our need for and dependence upon state funds, these gifts play a critical role in allowing us to offer scholarships and endow positions, create new programs and enhance our equipment and facilities," Garrison said. "We are extremely grateful to our many donors who believe in UAB and our vision for the future.”

Kahn echoed those comments: “UAB has some of the most loyal supporters anywhere, and many have a long history of individual and even multi-generational giving. These donors have played an integral role in our growth and success.”

Momentum tally
During the five-year period, $323 million was raised to support faculty, research, programs and scholarships, Kahn said. “This consistently represents the single largest category of programs and services that our community has elected to support through their donations.”

Since 2004, $51.5 million, or 13.1 percent of commitments, has been raised to create or expand endowments. Building and equipments needs have received another $17.8 million in contributions.

A total of 81,445 individuals, 952 foundations, 5,166 corporations and 1,954 other organizations contributed to Maintaining the Momentum these past five years.