OU announced it raised $334 million in gifts this fiscal year, surpassing its previous record and driving the institution's fundraising campaign past the $1.1 billion mark of its $2 billion goal.
According to the press release, 31,000 alumni and friends contributed to the total, marking an increase in annual donors since the campaign’s original fundraiser. This year, OU received a record 62 gifts of at least $1 million, for a total of 190 contributions since the launch of the Lead On campaign.
Lead On: The University of Oklahoma’s Campaign for the Future began in October 2022 with the goal of raising $2 billion before its scheduled conclusion on June 30, 2027.
The increase in donations can be partially attributed to the popularity of Giving Day, a 24-hour fundraising event on April 2, according to the release. OU set a new single-day fundraising record by raising $26.6 million in 2024, with contributions from all 50 states and 16 countries worldwide.
“Year after year, I’m reminded that the outstanding generosity of the OU community can turn our boldest aspirations into reality,” OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. said in the release.
Before the introduction of the Lead On campaign, the university raised an average of $135 million annually. After the launch of the campaign, contributions nearly doubled in the first year, according to the release. Since then, OU has received over 300,000 gifts and welcomed more than 28,000 first-time donors.
“OU's friends and alumni continue to elevate the university’s standards of excellence and leave an indelible mark on its history through this groundbreaking fundraising campaign,” Harroz said in the release.
This story was edited by Ana Barboza. Matthew Moore and Avery Avery copy edited this story.
