Philanthropy Publication Ranks University Of Arkansas Private Gift Support Among Top 400 In Nation

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The University of Arkansas’ $98 million in private gift support for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999, moved the institution up from 328th to 108th place in the "The Chronicle of Philanthropy's" annual ranking of the top 400 non-profit organizations.

The "Philanthropy 400," published in the Nov. 2 issue, shows the University ranking third among the 10 Southeastern Conference universities qualifying for the list that year.

"The Chronicle of Philanthropy" is a bimonthly newspaper reporting on issues of the non-profit world, and is a news source targeted to charity leaders, fund-raisers, grant makers, and other people involved in philanthropic enterprises.

The publication gathered financial data from non-profit organizations to determine which organizations raised the most donations from individuals, foundations and corporations annually. Among the top 400 earners for 1999, 142 of those organizations were education-based and included both public and private universities. A sampling of other universities also in the "Philanthropy 400" list include Georgetown University at 133^rd, Northwestern University coming in at 64^th, and Stanford University at 19^th. Other organizations that made the list range from the Mayo Foundation in Rochester, Minn., at 100^th on the list, to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International, coming in at 116^th.

"As a complement to government funding, private gift support is extremely important. It provides the margin necessary to achieve and sustain excellence - to compete with other leading American research universities in attracting talented faculty and students and supporting the academic programs that allow them to thrive," UA Chancellor John A. White said.

"Raising private gift support is one of our five major goals. It is vital to providing the means that will enable us to recruit and retain outstanding students, faculty, and staff, as well as enhance academic programs and facilities and fuel our vision of emerging as the nationally competitive, student-centered research university Arkansas needs and deserves."

The major reason for the rank increase was the $50 million gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation to what was later renamed the Sam M. Walton College of Business Administration. In all the $98 million for fiscal year 1999 includes $90.2 million for academic and academic support programs and about $7.8 million for men’s athletics.

"We are grateful to all our benefactors across the state and nation who have been extraordinarily generous to the University," G. David Gearhart Vice Chancellor for University Advancement said. "To have moved forward 220 places in one year is an impressive jump for any institution to make, and it is our benefactors who made it happen."

Overall, 10 universities in the Southeastern Conference earned slots on "The Chronicle’s" list:

• Vanderbilt - 38
• University of Florida - 71
• University of Arkansas - 108
• University of Tennessee - 131
• University of Kentucky - 221
• University of Georgia - 258
• Auburn University - 281
• University of Mississippi - 309
• University of Alabama -  344
• Mississippi State University - 397

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