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Campaign surpasses 80 percent of its goal
McDonough tells Faculty Senate "Generation to Generation" has raised $200 million so far
By DONNA LONGENECKER
Reporter Assistant Editor
UB's fifth and largest campaign, "Generation to Generation," is nearing its final stages, having surpassed 80 percent of its $250 million goal with $200 million raised thus far, Jennifer McDonough, vice president for university advancement, reported to the Faculty Senate Tuesday at its monthly meeting.
Alumni have contributed the bulk of campaign funds—a generous $88.9 million, or roughly 45 percent of overall giving—followed by foundations, which have given $34 million (17 percent) and corporations, which have donated $32 million (16 percent), McDonough told senators. Friends of the university have contributed $24 million (12 percent) and organizations have contributed $18.8 million (10 percent).
Just two weeks shy of her first-year anniversary at UB, McDonough said that although the university is in a very competitive market, she is excited by the responsibility of building and extending the institution's reach beyond Western New York and fostering relationships with younger alumni by reaching out to students while they are still at UB. Alumni are becoming increasingly more involved in volunteer efforts and fundraising at the university, she said, pointing out that people who are part of the life and work of the institution are much more likely to make a contribution.
McDonough also updated senators on recent organizational changes and the mission and goals of the Office of University Advancement, emphasizing the divisional mission and values adopted by the office and the responsibility it feels towards donors and towards advancing UB's overall goals and mission as established by the leadership.
President William R. Greiner is very committed to supporting advancement at UB, McDonough said, spending a great deal of time on the road as an active partner working with her in cultivating relationships among UB's alumni and donor families.
"He's given us the wherewithal to get the job done," she said, also noting that Provost Elizabeth D. Capaldi is a "huge partner and champion of our work."
Nearly 69,000 pledges have been made to the current campaign—"a very substantial and substantive family to build from," said McDonough—and she described the challenge of identifying and engaging those interested in becoming more involved in the live and aspirations of the university.
Individual donors are the major contributors to UB, she said, explaining that currently there are more than 173,000 living alumni and about 160,000 of those have current address information on file; 98,442 live in New York State, while 58,801 reside in the eight counties of Western New York and about 3,410 live outside the U.S. in more than 120 countries.
She also noted that there are hundreds of alumni working as faculty and staff at UB. "There are a lot of opportunities to broaden our reach," she said. "We're looking for people who can help us state the case, tell the story" about why someone should give to UB, she said, pointing out that faculty will be increasingly important in a successful advancement program.
"We'll always be about generating private support so that we're less reliant on more traditional sources of funding, and have a more diversified mix of funding partners," she explained, adding that donors who traditionally give small amounts over time to an institution or a cause often are the ones who remember those institutions in their estate plans.