The University has announced that The Harvard Campaign had recorded $5 billion in gifts and pledges as of December 31: nearly 77 percent of the $6.5-billion goal announced in September 2013, when the public phase of fundraising began with $2.8 billion of commitments, and an astonishing $2.2 billion of gifts and pledges in the ensuing 15 months.
The new figure updates the $4.3-billion total announced as of last June 30, the end of the fiscal year. The gains since are not a surprise: they include the $350-million gift to the Harvard School of Public Health, unveiled in September; a gift of perhaps $60 million to $75 million (the total was not disclosed) from Steve Ballmer '77 for a dozen computer-science professorships in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, announced in November; and the fall launches of campaigns by the Graduate School of Design; the Graduate School of Education, and the Medical School.
According to the University, some $590 million of support for financial aid has been raised or pledged—less than half the sum thought to be sought across all of Harvard's schools. Other areas of continuing focus include funds for undergraduate House renewal, and, in general, for scientific research support.
Read the announcement here.
