Over 72,460 supporters of the University of Georgia contributed a remarkable $300.4 million to the institution during the fiscal year that concluded on June 30 (FY25). This marks the inaugural instance that university fundraising has exceeded $300 million.

Donations were allocated to bolster essential university initiatives, encompassing student scholarships, faculty and graduate student assistance, and the new School of Medicine. Throughout the 2024-2025 academic year, privately funded scholarships benefited over 9,500 students, and during FY25, contributors helped reach a total of 391 endowed chairs and professorships. Contributors included alumni, students, parents, UGA staff and retirees, as well as corporate and private foundations and other community members.

“As we persist in innovating and progressing on vital initiatives at the University of Georgia, I am profoundly thankful to our benefactors for their contributions that empower our continuous quest for excellence,” stated President Jere W. Morehead. “I am inspired by our devoted alumni and friends and their steadfast belief in our mission, and I eagerly anticipate all that we will achieve together in the forthcoming years.”

This past year’s extraordinary level of private backing continues a trend of increased generosity that has raised the three-year rolling average to $272.8 million, the highest ever reached by the state’s premier university. Additionally, it represents the third occasion in UGA’s history where total fundraising surpassed $250 million.

“The university community has risen to the occasion like never before,” remarked Jill S. Walton, vice president for development and alumni relations and executive director of the UGA Foundation. “As we celebrate these outcomes, we are most motivated by the lives we enrich and the opportunities we create with the resources entrusted to the UGA Foundation by our benevolent donors.”

Establishing the groundwork for the School of Medicine

The School of Medicine has reached several key milestones since its approval to proceed in February 2024. The $100 million required for the Medical Education and Research Building was secured through a blend of state funding and private contributions less than a year following its announcement. This cutting-edge facility will feature medical simulation suites, biomedical laboratories, and classrooms to accommodate Georgia’s expanding healthcare demands.

To recruit and prepare the most skilled students for the inaugural School of Medicine class, fundraising efforts are concentrated on augmenting scholarship funding to assist with the expenses of medical education.

Scholarship support continues to create opportunities

Last November, UGA launched its 1,000th endowed, need-based scholarship for undergraduate students. Many of these scholarships cover general attendance costs, while others support experiential learning, student veterans, first-generation students, and more.

“Our fundraising achievements are founded on the unyielding loyalty of our current supporters and the foundational generosity of those who preceded them,” said Allison C. Ausband, outgoing chair of the UGA Foundation Board of Trustees. “Their united spirit, coupled with President Morehead’s ongoing strategic leadership, lights our way forward. Every contribution—from a $5 monthly donation on Dawg Day of Giving to a significant donation establishing a professorship or enhancing a program—amplifies the impact we can have on present and future students, faculty, and programs.”

Donor support enhances numerous areas of campus

Various collective endeavors resulted in substantial contributions to UGA in FY25, including:

• The UGA Parents Leadership Council raised $1.5 million for initiatives and funds that enrich the undergraduate student experience.
• The Class of 2025 set a Senior Signature record; over 3,400 students contributed more than $115,000 to 544 funds across campus.
• The fourth annual Dawg Day of Giving garnered more than 13,000 contributions to support students and programs, marking a single-day record for the university.

Private donations in FY25 extended to all dimensions of campus. Naming ceremonies honoring seven- and eight-figure contributions to the university were held this year, including the C. Herman Terry Risk Management and Insurance Program, the Benson-Bertsch Center for International Trade and Security, Layton Design Studio, and the M. Douglas and V. Kay Ivester Institute for Business Analytics and Insights.

The Delta Air Lines Foundation pledged $5 million to the Hospitality and Food Industry Management program to broaden hands-on learning opportunities for students by initiating renovations of the Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel, a Public Service and Outreach facility, to incorporate teaching spaces for event management, culinary arts, and hotel operations.

Commitments to UGA Athletics continue to enhance the university’s overall fundraising efforts and bolster UGA’s status as both an athletic and academic powerhouse. An increasing group of generous donors are investing substantially in the success of both academic and athletic initiatives at the university—of these, 76 “powerhouse donors” are pledging upwards of $1 million to both.

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