Imagine SIU in 2030: $500 Million Goal
The SIU Foundation has surpassed the $500 million goal of its Imagine SIU 2030 fundraising campaign 20 months ahead of schedule, marking the largest fundraising achievement in university history.
Imagine what your philanthropy can do at SIU.
As we usher in a bold era for Southern Illinois University, our ambitions stretch beyond the horizon. The future we seek is anchored in innovation, inclusivity, and limitless potential. Join us, as we take a transformative journey into the next decade. With your benevolence and our shared vision, we'll craft a narrative that resonates for generations.
Campaign News Update
The Southern Illinois University Foundation has reached the $500 million goal of its Imagine SIU 2030 fundraising campaign 20 months ahead of schedule, marking the largest fundraising achievement in university history and the fifth-largest campaign in Illinois higher education history.
With the campaign continuing through June 30, 2028, the SIU Foundation plans to build on its success, expand student opportunities and accelerate Southern Illinois University Carbondale's progress.
Launched Jan. 1, 2017, as Forever SIU: The Campaign for Students, the campaign initially aimed to raise $75 million for scholarships and student success. After surpassing that goal seven months early, the Foundation increased its target to $90 million, then $200 million in 2019, expanding support for academics, faculty, research and facilities. In March 2022, SIU Chancellor Austin A. Lane announced the $500 million goal.
Since the campaign began, 59,862 donors have contributed 394,265 gifts, supporting scholarships, academic programs, faculty excellence, research, athletics and campus facilities. Annual giving has increased 216% since 2017, reflecting growing philanthropic support for the university.
The achievement follows a record-breaking fiscal year 2026, during which the SIU Foundation raised more than $54 million, a 40% increase over the previous year. The Foundation's endowment also grew $43 million to $262.3 million.
Your Philanthropy Powers Our Priorities
As we align our strategic vision with our fundraising efforts, we underscore the integral role of your support. Each contribution is a testament to the belief in SIU’s potential:
- Support for Students: Backing our commitment to holistic student success and engagement.
- Support for Faculty: Enabling the mentors who shape minds and champion diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Capital: Building the infrastructural backbone for research, innovation, and sustainability.
- New Programs and Research: Breathing life into our research and innovation aspirations.
- The Dean's Excellence Fund: Offering the flexibility to address immediate needs and emerging opportunities across pillars.
Colleges & Units
By choosing an area to support, you're not just strengthening the SIU legacy, but imagining a brighter, bolder future for our institution.
Through the Imagine SIU in 2030 campaign, our extended community unites with a shared vision – achieving what might seem impossible alone.
Together, we're harnessing philanthropic investments that promise a transformative and enduring impact on our university and its cherished students. We're not just preserving a tradition of opportunity; we're reimagining its potential. We're not just upholding a mission of value; we're expanding its horizons.
We ask you to join us and imagine what your philanthropy can do at SIU.
Southern Illinois University Foundation
Tedrick Welcome Center 1264 Lincoln Drive Mail Code 6805 Carbondale, Illinois 62901-4308 Webmaster: Britnib@foundation.siu.edu