While monthly donor giving to the University’s eight-year Capital Campaign decreased from $45 million in June to between $8 and $9 million in July, Robert Sweeney, senior vice president for development and public affairs, said the Capital Campaign remains ahead of schedule and does not face any unusual hurdles at this time.
As of the most recently audited totals from July, the campaign has received $1.743 billion, roughly 58 percent of its $3 billion goal for 2011, Sweeney said. In general, he said, the University receives about $25 to $30 million each month, but noted “the giving [often] does not come in equal amounts.”
As a result, Sweeney said it is not uncommon to have a significant month such as this past June, followed by a month such as July, which featured a lesser donation total. Besides, Sweeney said, this fluctuating feature of the campaign could be expected, given the past giving history for certain months of the year.
University President John T. Casteen, III stated in an e-mail that the summer months in particular are usually among the lowest in terms of donation totals, adding that they are not a reflection per se of the campaign as a whole.
“This is an eight-year campaign,” Casteen stated. “We are just beyond halfway. No single month or even single fiscal quarter tells much of a story.”
The country’s current economic situation, however, has had a big impact on the state of donor giving from month to month, because many people are more hesitant to give in rough times, according to Sweeney.
“During economic downturns, the idea is to continue keeping visits with prospects, involving them, telling them about the needs of the University ... to have a consistently excellent program that is doing the right thing month after month,” Sweeney said, noting that the state of the economy does not affect how the University solicits potential donors.
That being said, Casteen stated, the economy could still have a further impact on the campaign.
“If the current slowdown evolves into a full-blown recession, most or all campaigns will fall behind their time lines — ours may,” he stated. He noted, though, that the University has not fallen behind on a giving timeline since 1990.
Board of Visitors Secretary Sandy Gilliam also expressed a positive outlook, noting that Capital Campaign giving typically increases in October, November and December, as the end of the fiscal year approaches. Moreover, Sweeney said, the University still aggressively seeks donations and remains optimistic overall.
“Are we ahead of the projection?” Sweeney questioned. “Are we where we need to be? I think we are.”
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