The University of Michigan (U-M) has unveiled its most ambitious fundraising initiative to date, aiming to raise an unprecedented $7 billion to support its visionary goals over the coming years. The campaign, titled “Look to Michigan,” was publicly launched on Friday, October 25, and has already secured $3.3 billion in silent donations.
University officials have described the “Look to Michigan” campaign as the largest known fundraising goal of any public university in the United States. It will benefit all three U-M campuses, Michigan athletics, and the Michigan Medicine academic medical center, among other priorities.
The campaign focuses on four main pillars: providing life-changing education, enhancing public health, promoting civic engagement, and addressing climate change. “Finding solutions to the biggest challenges we face is going to take unwavering determination and an innovative approach,” said U-M President Santa Ono. “This is a transformative moment for Michigan, as we courageously discover, together, what’s next for a better tomorrow.”
The “Look to Michigan” campaign aligns with two key initiatives announced by President Ono upon his appointment in October 2022: Vision 2034 and Campus Plan 2050. Vision 2034 outlines a ten-year strategic plan for the university, while Campus Plan 2050 details development objectives for the Ann Arbor campus over the next 25 years.
In addition to these strategic goals, the university is committed to advancing other significant priorities under the campaign, including support for the arts, fostering inclusivity on campus, enhancing the student experience, and driving economic development.
Michigan Vice President for Development Tom Baird emphasized the campaign’s role in realizing the university’s ambitious vision. “To fulfill that bold vision, we need to turn it into bold action. That’s where the Look to Michigan campaign comes in: philanthropic support to make that vision a reality,” he stated.
This initiative marks the university’s seventh fundraising campaign. The previous campaign, “Victors for Michigan,” ran from 2013 to 2018 and successfully raised $5.3 billion.
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