Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) received 4,932 gifts and pledges from 2,404 donors and achieved a fundraising total of $15 million during the 2023 fiscal year, which included several high-level partnerships aimed at promoting student success.
Over the last four years, APSU has had a 16% increase in its number of donors and a 29% increase in its number of gifts. In comparison to last year, APSU experienced a 9.8% increase in its number of donors and an 18.6% increase in its number of gifts, which is above the national trend.
“Not only did more supporters and corporate partners invest in Austin Peay State University this year, more of them contributed at a higher level of giving, and that has been our impactful trend of 2023,” APSU Vice President for Alumni, Engagement and Philanthropy Kris Phillips said.
“All of the gifts we have received this year have helped us tell the story of our University. I want to say a special word of thanks to our APSU faculty and staff, who stepped up their giving and really made the difference in the lives of the students they serve every day,” stated Phillips.
“Tell the Story” was the theme of the Govs Give 2023, the University’s seventh annual online giving event, celebrating of all the inspiring stories students, faculty, staff, and community members have to share about their experiences at Austin Peay State University.
From 10:00am on April 18th to 7:27pm on April 19th, donors gave $239,174 to support APSU Funds of Excellence for academics, athletics and Student Affairs during Govs Give 2023. This year, alumni and friends made 837 gifts during the online giving campaign – breaking the all-time record for the number of annual gifts made in the history of Govs Give.
APSU faculty and staff members gave during Govs Give for their participation in the SHAPE Faculty and Staff Giving Campaign, which celebrates how faculty and staff use their talents and gifts to shape Austin Peay State University. A total of 253 APSU faculty and staff members contributed during Govs Give 2023, making the current giving rate for the 2023 SHAPE Faculty and Staff Giving Campaign 31%.
“I am so grateful for the support of our donors and friends,” APSU President Mike Licari said. “Their investments have improved the lives and experiences of our students. We have had many notable firsts in 2023, and our many partnerships have played significant roles in making that happen.”
The University had several first-time accomplishments this year, such as the first virtual experience classroom in the Eriksson College of Education funded by Furniture Connection, the first distinguished professorship in the APSU College of Behavioral and Health Sciences funded by the Clarksville Montgomery County Community Health Foundation (CMCCHF) in honor of Bill Wyatt and the first time APSU’s version of Giving Tuesday – “GOVing Tuesday” – utilized a project-based fundraising model. This resulted in all eight of the University’s selected campus projects being fully funded.
Austin Peay State University’s Candlelight Ball also had its most successful year yet after guests raised $162,500 in scholarship funding for students during a live auction, surpassing the event goal of $100,000.
In addition, Legends Bank pledged the largest corporate gift to date to the APSU College of Business, establishing the Legends Bank Professorship in Banking and Finance. The lecture hall in the APSU Kimbrough Building will now be known as the Legends Bank Lecture Hall. This gift and others made 2023 the best giving year to date for the College of Business, which raised over $2 million for important projects and student success initiatives.
APSU Athletics had yet another notable fundraising year, receiving $2.7 million, the most of any University area. Throughout the year, roughly $2.8 million in endowment funding was committed, and 12 new endowments were funded or established.
To establish an endowment or support other fundraising initiatives, contact APSU Alumni, Engagement, and Philanthropy at 931.221.7127.
