The University of Toronto has passed the $2B fundraising goal it initially set for its Boundless fundraising campaign five years ago, reports the Globe and Mail. The milestone marks a success that President Meric Gertler says dates back to the 1990s, when former U of T President Robert Prichard raised more than $1B. “We’ve been at this game now in a serious way for 25 years or so,” says Gertler. “[Prichard’s efforts] broke tremendous new ground, and I think raised everybody’s sights. It gave Canadians a sense of what was possible.” Gertler notes that tightening government budgets are forcing Canadian universities to enhance their fundraising efforts, particularly when it comes to supporting fundamental research and student scholarships. “Fundraising has now become an essential part of the business of universities,” says Gertler. “Pretty much every university has to engage in this kind of activity to some extent.”
Globe and Mail