• A Big Red thank you to our donors!

    The generosity of our donors touches the lives of Cornell’s students and faculty each and every day. We are so grateful for your support and all the good you make possible.


A collective power, united by a shared purpose

Cornellians are so much more than the sum of their majors. They are far greater than their personal achievements. That’s because Cornellians are a collective—a force for good united by thousands of shared experiences, hopes, ambitions, and partnerships that reach across decades. Together, there is no limit to what they can accomplish.

No matter where or how Cornellians are making a difference in the world, their work is touched—and often powered by—the generosity of donors.

Cornell annual fund donors give students and faculty a chance to say “yes” to opportunities for learning, discovery, personal well-being, and growth. In this way, gifts of all sizes open doors. They carry the remarkable possibility of transforming lives and the world, for the better.

Annual funds are supporting students and faculty in more ways than one

Every dollar given to Cornell annual funds is connected to the explorations, discoveries, and transformations of our students and faculty. Here are just a few stories made possible by annual fund support.

 

Portrait of Sam Jurado. AAD.

Helping other humans is our nature

“I think that achieving the greatest good, helping other humans, is in our nature.”
—Sam Jurado ’24

 

Numbers that make a difference

In 2023-2024, annual fund donors helped fund Cornell’s major priorities, such as financial aid and scholarship, student experiences in and outside the classroom, research, and community outreach.

  • $54.4M

    Total raised for the Cornell annual funds

    The $54.4 million raised supports all kinds of needs and causes across the university.

  • 68,457

    Total annual fund gifts

    68,457 total gifts of all sizes were made to Cornell annual funds last year.

  • 40,100

    Total annual fund donors

    More than 40,100 donors from all over the world made a gift to Cornell annual funds.

  • A $1.36 billion equivalent

    The $54.4 million in annual fund support raised in 2023-2024 is equivalent to the [annual] payout of a $1.36 billion endowment.

  • $1.6M

    Total raised for undergraduate scholarships

    Annual fund donors raised $1.6 million for undergraduate scholarships.

Portrait of Olivia Maday.

I’ve learned to never give up

“I’ve learned to never give up. I could have easily given up in high school. I could have said, ‘There’s no way I’ll be able to go to college and afford it.’”
—Olivia Maday ’24

Read more

 

Making a Cornell education even more accessible

Ezra Cornell believed education could transform lives—that educating one student could reach across generations. He also understood that investing in the education of others was the best way to build a better world.

Gifts of all kinds have helped fulfill Ezra’s founding vision by ensuring that a Cornell education always remains accessible and affordable to any person regardless of their ability to pay.

“Generous support has eased my family’s financial burden and allowed me to attend Cornell. Witnessing the selfless support of alumni, parents, and friends—who are willing to provide opportunities and remove obstacles—deeply inspires me.”

—Andres Castellanos ’25

The generosity of annual fund donors is helping Cornell reduce the costs of attendance for students and their families. More and more accepted students can afford to say “yes” to their dream of becoming a Cornellian.

In 2023-2024, 2,705 donors to the Cornell annual funds raised $1.6 million for undergraduate scholarships. One hundred percent of these gifts funded financial aid packages. About half of all undergraduate students at Cornell receive financial aid.

Annual fund gifts make these stories possible

  • Students can say “yes” to summer opportunities

    Annual fund donors directly support students who take on meaningful summer work that’s unpaid or minimally paid. Many students can afford to take on these opportunities because of this funding.


Solving the world’s most complex challenges

Our faculty and practitioners are pioneering big ideas and world-changing discoveries that could one day solve the greatest issues of our time. Their influence reaches far and wide, providing knowledge and best practices to nonprofit agencies, government organizations, and communities all over the world.

Annual fund gifts directly connect donors to Cornell’s research and all that it makes possible. These gifts allow deans to say “yes” to funding faculty who face unanticipated research costs. They inspire experimentation that can lead to future grants and innovations. And they also help attract talent, fund vital positions, and purchase necessary equipment and materials so researchers can move their ideas forward.

Portrait of Felix Heisel.

We can move the needle

“At Cornell, as part of a cross-disciplinary family of students, faculty, and alumni, we can move the needle towards better treatment of the planet.”
—Professor Felix Heisel

Discovering ways to heal our planet

Global sustainability is just one of many research areas where Cornellians are already making a difference. From climate and energy science to environmental justice and food security to human and animal health, our faculty are building off Cornell’s legacy of experimentation and innovation in their work to heal and preserve our planet.

 

Some active research projects supported by annual funds: 
Sheep under industrial-scale solar arrays.

Supporting urgent research

Cornell annual funds support fast grants through the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. This seed funding allows faculty to pursue urgent and impact-oriented climate research.

Learn more

Helping students flourish

A student’s time at Cornell is unlike any other period in their lives. It is a time when they can explore the boundless possibilities that exist within themselves. Their time on the Hill fosters immense transformation that goes far beyond academic achievement.

In and outside of the classroom, Cornell students develop skills that help them seek and create support, purpose, meaning, well-being, and community for the rest of their lives. These outcomes help Cornellians not only succeed but thrive.

“My classes have taught me that change and growth come with starting uncomfortable conversations about topics that are not commonly discussed. By stepping out of my comfort zone, I have learned to engage with different audiences and see their needs through their perspective, by having fruitful conversations.”

—Jasmine Guarin ’24

Cornell annual funds support students throughout their journeys and transformations on campus—and far beyond it. Donors help ensure that students can say “yes” to opportunities to better themselves and their communities, whether that means seeking help during periods of stress or building connectedness through community engagement.

Some opportunities supported by annual funds:

A cyclist taking in the views at Libe Slope.

Fostering well-being

Cornell annual fund dollars helped launch a pilot program for personalized well-being coaching for all students. The new offering helped Cornellians set and pursue their individual goals.

Learn more

Goldwin Smith Hall and the statue of Ezra Cornell on the Arts Quad in fall.

How gifts of all kinds make a difference

Learn why Cornell needs gifts of all shapes and sizes to do the greatest possible good for Cornellians and for the world.

Learn more