As the CSU system celebrated the class of 3 million in 2014 and 2015, preliminary data indicate an overall record-breaking increase in charitable gifts, including a spike of 11,000 additional alumni donors. While final data will be available in January, this marks the fourth consecutive year the university has seen increases in philanthropic giving.

Charitable gift receipts reached well over $314 million, marking historic highs for CSU philanthropy in 2014-15. Donations from 232,638 individuals totaled $171 million, with a 44 percent increase in alumni contributions and a 16 percent increase in parent donations. The increase in contributions demonstrates the power of the three million CSU alumni who are committed to giving back and helping shape the lives of future graduates.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo alumni, Peter and Mary Oppenheimer, pledged $20 million to the campus – the largest cash gift in Cal Poly’s history. The Oppenheimers, both graduates of the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences, have directed this unprecedented gift to fully fund several projects within that college.

“Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing philosophy had a tremendous impact on our education and lives,” said Mr. Oppenheimer. “We want to help modernize and expand Cal Poly’s animal operations and build new facilities to offer future students an even better experience than our own.”

In addition to alumni gift receipts, organizations contributed a total of nearly $144 million, including $77 million from foundations and $49 million from corporations. Government contributions include land transfers, with Cal State San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus receiving an additional 113 acres of land, valued over $8.7 million, gifted by the City of Palm Desert.

Donor support from alumni, parents, foundations, corporations, and other organizations plays a significant role in bolstering the high-quality education offered at CSU campuses. Through generous contributions, the university is able to provide access to a broad and diverse student population, build technologically advanced libraries and classrooms, and support innovative teaching models.

“We are profoundly grateful for the increasing generosity of our alumni and partners,” said Garrett P. Ashley, vice chancellor of University Relations and Advancement. “Charitable gifts made by our alumni, community and business partners show us that they share in our mission of boosting student success to prepare California’s future leaders. Through donations, individuals, foundations and companies become involved in their communities and in the growth of the state’s largest public higher education system.”

About the California State University

The California State University is the largest system of senior higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 47,000 faculty and staff and more than 460,000 students. Half of the CSU’s students transfer from California Community Colleges.