The OSU Foundation partners with the university to engage the OSU community, inspire investment and steward resources to enhance the university’s impact. The OSU Foundation, which celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2023, is a nonprofit organization, separate from the university, and governed by a Board of Trustees. In 2017, the OSU Foundation integrated the OSU Alumni Association, which was founded in 1873. The Foundation employs more than 165 professionals. While building relationships with alumni and friends is a university-wide responsibility, all fundraising positions are housed in the OSU Foundation. The Foundation aspires to be one of the best foundations in North America and acts in alignment with the university. As of June 30, 2023, the Foundation holds assets surpassing $1 billion and manages an endowment of $827+ million. Donors gave $168.7 million in fiscal year 2023. In 2023, it celebrated its 500th $1 million cumulative donor and more than $3 billion in cumulative private support from its generous donors. In October 2022, the Foundation publicly launched Believe It: The Campaign for OSU, the university’s second comprehensive fundraising and engagement campaign, with a $1.75 billion goal for student and faculty support, facilities and equipment and strategic initiatives. Donors have stepped forward with over $1 billion in gifts since the campaign began in 2017. The first Campaign for OSU concluded in 2014, having raised $1.14 billion in ten years, which made OSU one of only two public universities at the time to have had a first campaign of $1 billion or more and one of just 35 public universities to cross the billion-dollar mark in a campaign. The OSU Foundation, under the leadership of CEO and President Shawn L. Scoville, seeks to build on this momentum to support OSU’s aspirations, establish industry-leading fundraising and engagement growth and further energize donors, alumni and volunteers to engage with the university.
