[CSU Chancellor’s Office] – Alumni and friends of the California State University returned giving to a level near pre-recession records and far exceeding the prior year, according to the Philanthropic Annual Report prepared for the CSU Board of Trustees.

In 2010-2011, the CSU received more than $344 million in gift commitments, nearly a one-third increase from the $265 million committed in 2009-2010. Gift receipts, new gifts and pledge payments, in 2010-2011 totaled more than $240 million, a significant increase from the prior year’s $228 million.

CSU endowments also continued to recover in 2010-2011, with an increase in market value surpassing 20 percent and pushing the funds above $1 billion. Donors also contributed $54.5 million in new gifts toward university endowments.

“Generous supporters are helping the university excel in countless areas including teaching, research, athletics and arts,” said Garrett P. Ashley, CSU vice chancellor for university relations and advancement. “However, these gifts cannot fully replace what the state has cut.”

One reason that fundraising cannot replace lost state funding is that 97 percent of all charitable gifts received are designated by the donors to support specific interests. Programs, services, scholarships and other areas that receive gifts then use the resources to attain a margin of excellence greater than otherwise possible.

As a strong example of what giving can achieve, a $42 million gift from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to Cal Poly Pomona in the form of a challenge grant – a gift awarded with the understanding that the university will meet an announced fundraising goal – doubled the university’s endowment.

Individual donors providing generous gifts to campuses often have close ties as former students or employees of the university. As an alumna and professor emerita, Kay Takeyama Dilena, Ph.D., gifted an endowment of $5 million to give new prominence to the study of Japan at San Francisco State.

“I am so pleased that I have the opportunity to create an endowment to help continue the university’s work in bridging the people of the U.S. and Japan,” said Takeyama Dilena in a CSU Voices and Views blog entry. “For all the similarities we share, American and Japanese cultures are richly distinct and we all benefit for a better understanding of each other.”

The gifts by the Kellogg Foundation and Takeyama Dilena demonstrate the commitment of both organizations and individuals to the CSU. Below are the many areas that received philanthropic support to preserve excellence and advance the university’s mission.

Gift Receipt (by designation):

– Endowments (primarily for student scholarships) – $54.5 million
– Academic enrichment – $43.3 million
– Public service programs – $27.6 million
– Facilities (libraries, laboratories, arts centers and athletics) – $21.5 million
– Student scholarships (not through endowments) – $17.2 million
– Athletics – $15.4 million
– Applied research -$13.7 million
– Irrevocable deferred gifts – $12.9 million
– Library resources – $2 million
– Facility improvements – $1.8 million
– Faculty support – $1.5 million
– Designations for other university needs – $23.1 million
– Unrestricted – $5.9 million

About California State University
The California State University is the largest system of senior higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, approximately 427,000 students and 43,000 faculty and staff. The CSU awards about 99,000 degrees annually and since its creation in 1961 has conferred nearly 2.6 million. The CSU is renowned for the quality of its teaching and for the job-ready graduates it produces. The mission of the CSU is to provide high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever changing needs of the people of California. With its commitment to excellence, diversity and innovation, the CSU is the university system that is working for California.