Realized planned gifts and pledge payments helped the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) break fundraising records in fiscal year 2019. “We saw more cash in the door than we ever have before in CVM history,” says Bill Venne, chief development officer for the CVM. The College raised $6.3 million from 4,103 donors in fiscal year 2019. It was also the CVM’s second-best year of the campaign for Sponsored Projects Administration grants.

With 80 percent of the University of Minnesota’s Driven campaign left to go, the CVM has already raised 89 percent of its $70 million goal. “I feel confident we will reach our goal and probably exceed it thanks to the generosity of our donor community,” Venne says.

“The best news is that fiscal year 2020 is off to a strong start,” says Venne. “We typically raise $850,000 throughout July and August, but this year we are at $1.7 million as of August 31. Barring a recession, I expect this trend to continue.”