More than 54,000 donors committed $106 million to Iowa State University during the recently completed fiscal year, a 15 percent increase over the $92 million raised a year ago.

The Iowa State University Foundation also reports a $65 million increase in the endowment to more $435 million, thanks to new gifts and a solid one-year investment return of 18.3 percent.

“We are extremely grateful for the tremendous level of support Iowa State University receives from its alumni and friends, corporations, foundations and many organizations,” said Gregory Geoffroy, ISU president.

Other fund-raising highlights from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, include:

* $27.4 million in student support, providing 110 new scholarship and fellowship accounts this year, an increase of 21 percent.

* $22.9 million dedicated to support Iowa State’s facilities, including athletics, chemistry, electrical engineering, the veterinary medicine teaching hospital, agricultural and biosystems engineering complex, and other new facilities and improvements across campus.

* $46.6 million in program support across campus, including research, study abroad, honors, professional development and classroom and laboratory equipment and materials.

* 8,857 new donors made commitments in fiscal 2007, bringing the total number of donors for the year to 54,003.