Brief: CU, CSU garner $340 million

The University of Colorado and Colorado State University systems on Thursday reported raising a combined $340.2 million in private funds during the 2011-12 school year.

CU said it received $228.6 million in donations, up 7 percent over last year.

CSU announced that its take was $111.6 million, a 31 percent increase over the 2010-11 total.

Both systems said the year was the most successful in their histories of fundraising.

State colleges and universities have stepped up fundraising efforts in recent years as direct state support has dwindled. In fact, the outside donation totals now exceed state support. Last year, CU received $145.7 million from the state while CSU was allocated $106.4 million, according to Joint Budget Committee documents.

Students and parents, of course, now are the primary supporters of the two university systems. CU had spending authority for $635.5 million in tuition last year; CSU’s level was $247.7 million.

In addition to the annual campaigns to raise money from alumni, foundations, businesses and individuals, both universities have been conducting special campaigns. CU’s Creating Futures campaign, which began in 2006, so far has raised more than 80 percent of its $1.5 million goal. CSU closed its Campaign for Colorado State University at the end of the year. That effort, CSU’s first such campaign, raised $537.3 million, primarily for scholarships and academic programs.

Get more details on the number of donors and how the money’s being used in the CU news release and the CSU statement. Colorado State even put together a YouTube slideshow celebrating the end of the campaign.