Annual Fund

Annual giving is tremendously important to Illinois State University. Gifts to the Annual Fund touch every area of the university operation, providing the resources we need for operating expenses such as financial aid, information technology, and modern equipment for the laboratories.

Like many universities today, Illinois State faces increased pressures on its operating budget because our fortunes are so closely tied to the fortunes of the state and national economies. In fact, just 26 percent of the University's operating funds actually comes from the State of Illinois. The cost of essential items, such as the subscription to a scientific journal or the purchase of a computer program, is also escalating.

We can no longer simply increase tuition to meet these added expenses. Instead, we are making every effort to control our costs and streamline operations. To meet increased budget demands in the future, we rely heavily on annual gifts from the private sector.

In all, 14,914 Illinois State students received financial support in the 2005 fiscal year. Approximately 74 percent of all students receive assistance through loans, scholarships, waivers, grants, and employment. Of the students that receive aid,

• 53.9 percent received loans
• 34.5 percent received grants/scholarships/waivers
• 11.6 percent used student employment as a means of financing their education

Gifts received through the Annual Fund provide the “margin of excellence” in our programs and enable the University to build on its tradition of quality educational experiences. For these reasons, your annual gift is extremely important.

Download a printable gift form!