Cornell’s supporters rise to the challenges of 2024-2025

In fiscal year 2025, as higher education faced profound challenges and uncertainty, Cornell's alumni and donors demonstrated powerful support for the university's mission and future.

Nearly 40,000 alumni and student donors supported Cornell in a year that brought in $878 million in new gifts and commitments, the second-highest total in Cornell's history. More than 5,700 donors made their first gift ever, marking the university's strongest growth in new supporters since 2019. Increases in student and recent alumni donors were especially strong.

"We are at a crucial moment in Cornell's 160-year history," said President Michael I. Kotlikoff. "Cornell's community is unwavering - and growing - in its support for the university and the transformative value of higher education. The generosity and engagement of Cornell alumni, families and friends demonstrate their belief in our bold founding commitment to "... any person ... any study," their confidence in our commitment to our core values, and their support of the research that makes our nation and the world safer and more resilient."

Total new gifts and commitments include $675 million for the Ithaca campus - its second-best year. Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell Tech raised $146.6 million and $56.6 million, respectively. Cash gifts totaled a record-breaking $782.7 million, with the Ithaca campus raising an all-time high of $579.6 million. Annual funds also brought in a record total of $61.8 million.

In fiscal year 2025, which began July 1, 2024, and ended June 30, support from donorscontinued to fuel the Undergraduate Affordability Initiative, which seeks to raise $500 million by 2026. In FY 2025, more than 4,500 donors gave $78.7 million toward the initiative, pushing the total so far to $486 million.

The affordability initiative is a key priority of Cornell's To Do the Greatest Good campaign, which launched in 2021 and concludes in 2026. The campaign surpassed its $5 billion target last year, reaching $5.719 billion, thanks not only to several landmark gifts, but also to donations of all sizes, including support from nearly 26,000 donors who gave $500 or less.

Alumni engagement also broke records last year, highlighting the university's successful efforts to encourage Cornellians to connect with one another and the university. Nearly 105,000 alumni participated in events, career development, lifelong learning and volunteer opportunities around the world. Engagement efforts also reached more than half of Cornell's students.

Safeguarding research

In April, significant cuts to federal funding put vital Cornell research at risk. These federal actions strained budgets in every college and school, affecting the work and experiences of faculty, researchers and students. Many projects, including those that make our world healthier and safer, came to a standstill.

The university launched the Provost's Research Resiliency Fundin May to immediately help address gaps in research funding. In just the two months before year's end, the fund received $1.8 million in the form of flexible, ready-to-use gifts. Collectively, those gifts assisted 22 researchers who received award terminations.

"Research at Cornell changes lives and shapes our world, but just as important, it invests hope in a better tomorrow," Provost Kavita Bala said. "Every dollar that supports discovery at Cornell brings our world closer to new cures, better and more ethical technologies and breakthroughs that build a more resilient future."

Kaitlyn Ruhf is associate director of campaign communication for Alumni Affairs and Development.