Annual Giving Campaign Garners Support From 47% of Alumni

Despite disruptions caused by the coronavirus, 47% of alumni gave to the University of Virginia School of Law during the 2019-20 annual giving campaign, which concluded June 30.

Though the final numbers break a 14-year streak of a more than 50% giving rate, Law School Foundation President and CEO Luis Alvarez Jr. ’88 said the results were a “testament to the dedication of alumni, volunteers and staff.” The foundation suspended the campaign for six weeks during the height of the pandemic, and canceled live events, including its annual Law Alumni Weekend, starting in March.

“We resumed the campaign in early May with the message that ‘Every alum matters, every gift counts,’” Alvarez said. “We are so thankful our alumni supported us even though the past few months have been difficult for everyone. These results are inspiring under the circumstances.”

The annual giving campaign yielded the third-highest total gift amount in the school’s history, behind only 2003 and 2019, with $19.86 million. The school is now $262.4 million, or 65%, toward a $400 million capital campaign goal, part of the University’s $5 billion Honor the Future campaign. Since the campaign began, the school has also unlocked $24.7 million in matching funds from the University.

A total of 8,263 alumni gave in 2019-20, out of 9,504 total donors who gave 13,325 gifts. Through the life of the capital campaign so far, 68.9% of alumni have participated.

“The connection of UVA Law alumni to each other and to the Law School is a defining and wondrous feature of our community,” Dean Risa Goluboff said. “Our alumni have shown us that their support for the Law School, our students, and our educational mission remains steadfast even in these challenging times. We are so grateful for their generosity.”

Annual giving and the endowment are major sources of funding for financial aid, loan forgiveness for students entering public service, clinics, research initiatives, professorships and numerous other programs.