Contact: John Nash
843.792.0687
July 23, 2002
CHARLESTON, SC -- Grateful patients, alumni, businesses and other supporters gave more than $30 million in donations to the Medical University of South Carolina during fiscal 2001-2002, helping the public teaching hospital achieve its most successful fund-raising year to date.
The year's fund-raising total represented an annual growth rate of 20 percent, contrasting sharply with giving trends nationwide. Nationally, giving fell 2.3 percent in 2001 after adjusting for inflation, according to the American Association of Fundraising Counsel Trust for Philanthropy. Health care organizations were especially hard hit, reporting a 4.8 percent decline in private donations.
University officials said that such declines are not unusual during recession years. Sharp increases, on the other hand, are extraordinary.
"When we set a $30 million goal last July, we felt it was a challenging but realistic goal," said Jim Fisher, the university's vice president for development. "But everything changed on September 11. To be honest, we were prepared for a dip. For the community to have supported us at this level is amazing, and truly humbling." University President Ray Greenberg, who works closely with the Development Office, attributed the year's fund-raising success to a combination of factors.
"In a broad sense, I think this was a year when people paid greater attention to those organizations that were close to home -- organizations that they believed were important to the state and community," said Greenberg.
In addition, he said, the university has been engaged in two high-profile capital campaigns -- one to raise a new dental facility and another to build the Children's Research Institute. "These are two causes that people feel very strongly about, and they chose to express that support through philanthropy."
Greenberg also credited employees for their of support of the Medical University, which reached $601,000 during the year. "I am especially proud of our staff and faculty," said Greenberg. "The fact that they support our mission not only with their service but also with their dollars means a great deal to me personally and to the Medical University as an institution."
Finally, he said that strong leadership among the university's many boards played a key role. "People would not invest in the Medical University at this level without a great deal of confidence in us," said Greenberg. "I believe this confidence is largely due to the dedicated service and proven leadership represented on our various boards, as well as on our development team. We are most fortunate to have people of this caliber working on our behalf."
#####