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Milestone set with more than $67M in support MUSC achieved a record level of philanthropic support last year, with more than $67 million in gifts, pledge payments and new pledges received, according to figures released by the university's Development Office.   During fiscal 2007-2008, MUSC received more than $67.4 million in contributions; exceeding the previous year's total by 5.4 percent and outpacing the national growth rate of 3.9 percent reported by nonprofits, according to the Giving USA Foundation. The largest portion of last year's contributions to the university (more than $35.1 million) came in the form of gifts and matching funds from foundations and nonprofit organizations. More than a third (almost $24.4 million) came from individual benefactors, including patients, alumni and other supporters. Businesses and corporations contributed $7.7 million, accounting for more than 10 percent of all funds.   For the third consecutive year, the university achieved two significant fund-raising milestones: a record number of donors (12,312) and a record number of gifts (19,929), surpassing the previous records by more than 11 percent and 9 percent respectively. The two increases are significant, because they indicate a growing base of support at a time when the medical university is conducting a $300 million capital campaign, said MUSC President Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D.   The medical university launched the public phase of its campaign, A Partnership for Promise, in May in response to a growing need for private funds, which have come to play an increasingly important role in supporting the public institution's academic, patient care and research activities, said Greenberg.   “Although MUSC is considered a state-assisted institution, our state support has dropped to the point where it now accounts for just more than 6 percent of our annual operating costs,” Greenberg said. “Philanthropy plays a critical role in helping us overcome that shortfall so that we can continue to meet South Carolina's growing health care needs.”   Greenberg reiterated that, based on the university's growing base of philanthropic support, he was confident the Partnership for Promise capital campaign would be a successful one, having already raised $226 million toward the campaign's $300 million goal.  Friday, Aug. 8, 2008 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.