Donors see the impact these gifts can make, “not just on the institution, but on the world,” Morton Schapiro, Northwestern’s president, said in a phone interview. “They are excited about what you could do with their money: bold, new strategic plans that can really transform not only the university, but allow us to do a much better job in our public missions.”
The other $100 million and more gifts went to the University of California-San Francisco, which ranked fourth with $608.6 million, and Princeton University, according to the survey. Princeton raised the eighth-largest amount, $549.8 million, which included its largest gift ever -- 2,500 rare books and manuscripts valued at $300 million.
In the year ended June 2014, schools received five gifts of $100 million or larger, a total of almost $700 million, according to the survey.
The survey asks schools for the top three donors in four categories -- by a living individual, a bequest, companies and foundations.
Schools in the top 10 also included the University of Southern California with $653 million; Cornell University, $590.6 million; Johns Hopkins University, $582.7 million; Columbia University, $552.7 million; and the University of Pennsylvania, $517.2 million, according to the survey.
Gifts from alumni increased 10.2 percent to $10.9 billion, and non-alumni donations rose 23.1 percent to $8 billion, according to the survey. Charitable support from foundations including family foundations increased 3.6 percent while corporate giving was flat.
Contributions to schools’ operations increased 13 percent, according to the survey. Gifts for capital purposes, such as endowments, property or buildings, were flat.
Politicians in Washington are once again taking a close look at endowment spending and their tax exempt status. One draft proposal would require donors to designate at least 25 percent to financial aid if they want a tax deduction.