The University of Manitoba has received over $26 million in gifts from alumni, friends, corporations, foundations, staff and students over the past year.

This generosity is helping students and faculty continue to make a difference through teaching, research and community service, both here in Manitoba and around the world.

“It’s heartening to see how many individuals and organizations believe in supporting and enhancing the visionary projects and people at the University of Manitoba. These donations are investments in the future of our students and in the future of our province’s prosperity, and we thank all our donors for their tremendous support,” said Dr. David T. Barnard, President and Vice-Chancellor at the University of Manitoba.

“Donations help students to achieve their dreams and researchers to discover solutions to the world’s most pressing problems,” said John Kearsey, Vice-President (External). “Manitoba has the reputation of being the most generous province in the country, and this occasion certainly provides further proof. The University of Manitoba recognizes and celebrates the contributions of our donors. We look forward to building on this success in the upcoming year.”

The 2011-2012 fundraising achievements include raising $26,040,194. Of this, alumni and friends donated over $9.9 million; corporations gave over $3 million; foundations and organizations donated about $7.9 million; staff have given $1.2 million; and students and parents have donated over $4 million.

Such generosity is supporting numerous projects. For example:

• The new Stanley Pauley Centre will be developed along with three electrical engineering labs thanks to a $4 million gift made by the Pauley Family Foundation.
• A new denture program for homeless Winnipeggers has been created in cooperation with Siloam Mission thanks to a $500,000 gift made by Dr. Gerald Niznick. 
• More Louis Riel Bursaries than ever before have been handed out to Metis students enrolled in the University of Manitoba thanks to an additional $350,000 gift made by the Manitoba Metis Federation Inc. 
• Twelve new Bloomberg Terminals providing live market information were purchased for students at the Asper School of Business, thanks to a combined gift of $318,950 made by Great-West Life, BMO Nesbitt Burns and BMO Capital Markets, Cardinal Capital Management, Inc., Investors Group, and the Richardson Foundation.

Of all the great support the University of Manitoba has received over the past year, the lion’s share – nearly $10 million – has gone towards supporting students.

About $5.5 million has been given in support of capital funds and $1.8 million is supporting chairs and professorships. Over $7 million is supporting our faculties, schools and colleges, and our libraries and museums are receiving $278,885.

To learn more about how you can help support the University of Manitoba’s trailblazing vision, visit umanitoba.ca/giving