With Illinois Campaign FAQ
Find answers to frequently asked questions below.
Q: What is a campaign?
A: Universities utilize campaigns, like With Illinois, to identify and raise awareness towards specific priorities for which the institution will focus considerable effort within a designated time period to raise private support through philanthropic giving.
Q: When did the With Illinois campaign begin and when did it conclude?
A: The campaign began with a “silent phase” on July 1, 2014 and publicly announced via an open-invitation community event at State Farm Center on October 18, 2017. The final date of the campaign was June 30, 2022.
Q: Was the With Illinois campaign successful?
A: Thanks to the generosity of more than 171,000 alumni and friends passionate about Illinois, we surpassed our goal of raising $2.25 billion and raised approximately $2.7 billion in support of students, faculty, research, programs, and facilities. Achieving this during a worldwide pandemic provides testimony to the appreciation our alumni have for their alma mater while illustrating the confidence our friends have bestowed upon this university and our mission.
Q: How will the additional funds raised through the With Illinois Campaign complement the university’s state appropriations or offset the cost of the pandemic and other challenges the university is facing?
A: Philanthropic giving has always provided the university the critical margin of excellence required to deliver on our land-grant mission. As a result, private funds can certainly be part of the solution but rarely the only answer. Moreover, because a significant amount of the $2.7 billion raised during With Illinois is comprised of deferred gifts, including bequests, or multi-year pledges which will be fulfilled over the coming years, all funds are not immediately available.
Q: I have heard Illinois and other universities speak about the importance of endowments. Why?
A: Endowments offer perhaps the most influential form of giving to any non-profit. In an endowment fund, the principal is invested in perpetuity, and only a portion of the investment’s earnings is spent. The rest of the earnings are channeled back into the fund, so that the endowment grows over time. Thus, creating self-renewing, living legacies that span generations and can help mitigate against other declining sources of revenue to the university. For more information, please visit uif.uillinois.edu/endowments.
Q: Because the With Illinois Campaign was so successful, couldn’t you depend less on state support?
A: The revenue model for public universities continues to evolve and depends on a mix of resources: state and local appropriations, student tuition, private gifts from donors, research grants, and corporate and foundation partnerships, just to name a few. Having a strong land-grant university pays benefits to all citizens of the state of Illinois, especially during challenging times. However, we cannot appropriately serve the needs of the state (and beyond) without sufficient and sustained government funding.
Q: Now that the campaign has ended, will you stop raising money?
A: Absolutely not. As the university continues to deliver a world-class education and provides answers to the world’s pressing challenges, continued support from our donors and friends will remain crucial towards ensuring we continue to fulfill our mission and vision for not only today but future generations to come.
Q: How do I make a gift to the university now that the campaign is over?
A: To continue supporting Illinois, go to giving.illinos.edu and support the area of the university you are most passionate about. Gifts to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are facilitated by the University of Illinois Foundation. The UI Foundation also manages gift and endowment funds for the University of Illinois Chicago and the University of Illinois Springfield.
Q: Where can I go to learn more about the campaign?
A: Please visit with.illinois.edu to learn more about With Illinois.