Texas A&M Foundation 2020 Annual Report
Welcome to the Texas A&M Foundation’s 2020 annual report.
With Endless Thanks
When we reflect on the history of Texas A&M University from its humble beginnings as a land-grant college to the tremendous institution of higher education it is today, we do not see a story of uncomplicated growth and prosperity. Rather, we see a history rife with challenges; one in which Aggies routinely faced difficult and unprecedented circumstances. Most importantly, we see how their resilient response to each challenge not only made the university stronger but also shaped what it means to be an Aggie over time.
Make no mistake: This year challenged Texas A&M and the Texas A&M Foundation as much as it did every other great institution across the world. However, we present this annual report with great pride, gratitude and hope because so many Aggies and friends of the university offered their support in the face of adversity. Even amidst a dire financial crisis in the second half of fiscal year 2020, our donors continued to give generously toward the advancement of our university and its students, faculty and staff.
Despite the events of this year, our chief focus remained the same: to conclude the historic Lead by Example capital campaign and raise $4 billion for Texas A&M by the end of the year. Thanks to gifts from thousands of individuals, corporations and foundations who invested in Aggieland, we will surpass the goal by an impressive margin. That may seem surprising to some, but not to us. The instinct to go above and beyond is as much a part of Texas A&M’s identity as its unique and timeless values. So, while we remain unsurprised by your boundless generosity during this campaign, we also remain deeply grateful for it.
This report includes just a few of the notable major gifts we received this fiscal year, including a
$5 million commitment from Ellie and Don Knauss to name the Veteran Resource & Support Center, a $10 million gift from Sugar and Mike Barnes ’64 to name the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and a monumental 2,500-acre real estate planned gift from Deborah and Bill Keyes. Even though the Lead by Example campaign’s goal is well defined, the collective impact that its gifts will have on Texas A&M’s future is beyond measure.
We are just as proud to announce another milestone worthy of celebration. We have worked with the Division of Student Affairs to measure and count the number of student service hours given to various volunteer causes throughout the campaign. Although a new initiative, we have confidently documented almost 12 million hours given in service by the student body and are counting those as another way Texas A&M leads by example!
Through thick and thin, our donors have remained faithful in their commitment to building a brighter future for this university. While your selfless contributions may not make the headlines as easily as stories of setbacks and strife, your legacy will live on in the generations of students who learn to be leaders right here in Aggieland.
Thanks for all you do and for leading by example.
Kathleen Gibson ’81
Board Chair
Kathleen GibsonTyson Voelkel '96
President & CEO
Tyson Voelkel2020Lead by Example Campaign
851,000
Gifts made by individual, corporate and foundation donors
$1.1 billion
Committed through individuals’ estate plans
441
Gifts above $1 million
2020Foundation Financials
in fiscal year 2020
in fiscal year 2020
Gifts to Texas A&M
Donors gave more than $289 million to the Texas A&M Foundation and Texas A&M University during fiscal year 2020. This total includes cash gifts, future pledge payments at full face value, and revocable and irrevocable planned gifts.
9,083
Total donors
15,565
Total number of gifts received
$289,934,698
Total value of gifts received
$18,628
Average gift value
$0.01 to $45,000,000
Range of gift value
The A&M Legacy Society
The A&M Legacy Society recognizes individuals, corporations and organizations whose cumulative giving through Texas A&M University, the Texas A&M Foundation, The Association of Former Students, the 12th Man Foundation and the George & Barbara Bush Foundation totals $100,000 or more.
New Members
Total Members
Legacy
Heritage members in the A&M Legacy Society are individuals who have included a gift for the benefit of Texas A&M in their estate plans.
Heritage
Number and Value of Gifts by Class Year
4,398 former students made 8,136 gifts to the Texas A&M Foundation totaling more than $97 million during fiscal year 2020.
Total value of gifts received from former students during fiscal year 2020
Giving by Donor Location
More than 12,000 gifts totaling more than $165 million came from donors residing in Texas. Donors in Maryland gave 39 gifts totaling more than $35 million, while donors in California contributed 476 gifts for more than $9.8 million—making those states second and third in total gift value, respectively. Sixty gifts came from donors living overseas.
Leading Corporate and Foundation Donors by FY 2020 Cumulative Giving
Many donors double, triple or quadruple the amount of their gifts by taking advantage of a corporate matching program. During fiscal year 2020, corporate and foundation donors matched 4,229 gifts to the Texas A&M Foundation for a total of $73.9 million.
Student impact represents academic scholarships and fellowships to undergraduate and graduate students. Faculty impact refers to gifts that fund faculty chairs, professorships and fellowships. College impact gifts help a college or department through discretionary or building funds, which in turn support faculty and students through improved teaching and learning environments. Spirit impact gifts cultivate student organizations, traditions and other outside-the-classroom programs.
$73,284,145
College Impact
$66,892,994
Student Impact
$13,172,647
Spirit Impact
$5,521,822
Faculty Impact
Foundation Funds Made Available to Texas A&M
The Foundation annually makes millions of dollars available to Texas A&M for students, faculty, facilities and programs according to donors’ wishes. In fiscal year 2020, these funds totaled $114.1 million.
2019
$108,130,000
Annual total for fiscal year 2019
2020
$114,134,000
Annual total for fiscal year 2020
Planned Giving by the Numbers
The Foundation’s Office of Gift Planning helps donors establish after-lifetime and dual-benefit gifts that will aid Texas A&M University and its students in the future. For fiscal year 2020, the Foundation documented $151.9 million in planned gifts, which includes gifts that will be received by the Texas A&M Foundation, The Association of Former Students, the 12th Man Foundation and the George & Barbara Bush Foundation. During the last 10 years, the Foundation has documented nearly $1.1 billion in planned gift expectancies.
$151,900,000
Total value of planned gifts documented
144
Number of planned gifts documented
$2,000 to $45,000,000
Range of gift value
$12,700,000
Value of realized gifts during fiscal year 2020
$173,200,000
Value of realized gifts in the last 10 years
New Endowments Breakdown
The Foundation prides itself on enhancing the academic experience at Texas A&M University for both students and faculty. Donors who create endowments for scholarships, chairs, professorships, fellowships and various other needs leave a legacy that enhances Texas A&M’s core mission of providing the highest-quality undergraduate and graduate programs.
Endowment Values by Unit
Shown below is the value of each unit’s endowment held by the Texas A&M Foundation for the benefit of Texas A&M University as of June 30, 2020. The combined value of these endowments totals more than $1.57 billion.
*Includes Texas A&M University Press, KAMU-TV, Reed Arena, non-designated endowments and endowments with split beneficiaries.
Endowment Performance Over Time
The Texas A&M Foundation invests endowments using asset allocation to maximize growth while safeguarding capital during tough economic times. The chart below illustrates the market value of a $100,000 endowed scholarship created in 2000 and its cumulative value of student stipends. This single endowment would have paid out approximately $5,000 annually for a total of $105,931 by 2020. Its market value after 20 years would be $126,904.
Long-Term Investment Pool Growth
The long-term investment pool (LTIP)—which has a total value of $1.9 billion—has consistently met or exceeded our portfolio management guidelines, resulting in both the growth of funds available to Texas A&M University and the asset size of the portfolio. The LTIP is composed mostly of endowments, but also includes other non-endowed funds invested for the long term.
Investment Performance
The Foundation has a solid record of investing. Over the years, investment performance has consistently met internal performance goals and outperformed many peer organizations, ranking in the first or high second investment quartile. The long-term investment pool's 15-year return of 6.4% has accomplished the mission of preserving the spending power of the endowment while enduring two historic market moving events in the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and the 2020 Great Coronavirus Recession.
Long-Term Investment Pool Asset Allocation
By investing assets, the Foundation seeks to preserve the purchasing power of gifts while providing steady earnings for Texas A&M. The Foundation’s long-term investment pool, which has a total value of $1.9 billion, is composed mostly of endowments, but also includes other non-endowed funds invested for the long term.
2020Impacts
Every gift makes an impact. Here’s a look at how a few significant gifts from the past fiscal year are benefiting Texas A&M University students, faculty, colleges and programs.
An Anniversary Gift
In celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Texas A&M University, Sugar and Mike Barnes ’64 established a major endowment in excess of $10 million to support the department’s general operations. To recognize their generous investment, the department was renamed the Wm Michael Barnes ’64 Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.
Read More
A Humble Salute
Ellie and Don Knauss of Sugar Land, Texas, committed a $5 million gift to the Texas A&M Foundation to support and name Texas A&M University’s Veteran Resource & Support Center. As part of the Division of Student Affairs, the center provides resources for nearly 1,300 Texas A&M student veterans and their family members.
Read More
Aggies Take Washington
Texas A&M University announced plans to open a new teaching site in Washington, D.C., featuring the Bush School of Government and Public Service. Made possible through financial support from the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation, the new site is located within several blocks of the White House and other key government buildings. While the location is expected to open in the fall of 2020, classes toward a new Master of International Policy degree will commence in early 2021.
Read More
For the Love of a Horse
Through a gift of real estate, Deborah and Bill Keyes of Dripping Springs, Texas, have committed one of the largest planned gifts during the Lead by Example campaign. They have included a gift in their estate plans of their 2,500-acre ranch to the Texas A&M Foundation to be held for educational purposes at Texas A&M University after their lifetimes. The gift honors Casey, their Rocky Mountain gelding, and the Texas A&M veterinarians who have cared for him through the years.
Read More
“Mike and Sugar Barnes care deeply about Texas A&M and ensuring a top-quality engineering education for generations of students to come. We deeply appreciate their generous support and are proud to have the Barnes’ name affiliated with our industrial and systems engineering program.”
-Dr. M. Katherine Banks
Vice Chancellor and Dean
College of Engineering
“With this gift, I have a simple answer when people ask me what the VRSC will look like in 2030: There won’t just be hundreds of success stories like we’re currently witnessing—there will be thousands! Don and Ellie are helping to write these stories. They are literally changing lives for those who have served our great country.”
-Col. Jerry Smith '82
Director of the Don and Ellie Knauss VSRC
“The expansion of Texas A&M and the Bush School into Washington, D.C., is consistent with the vision of the school’s founder and namesake, the late President George H.W. Bush. President Bush believed that public service is a noble calling. The opportunity to educate future leaders in our nation’s capital allows us to reach so many more students who are following, or seeking to follow, that noble calling.”
-General Mark A. Welsh III
Dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service
“We are very grateful to Deborah and Bill Keyes for entrusting their impressive Texas Hill Country ranch to Texas A&M University in recognition of the robust relationship built between the Keyes and the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ (CVMBS) large animal veterinarians who treated their beloved horse, Casey. This substantial planned gift from the Keyes establishes an extraordinary legacy in recognition of the compelling bond between animals and the veterinarians who have dedicated their lives to caring for them at the CVMBS.”
-Dr. John August
Interim Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
2020Initiatives
The Texas A&M Foundation matches your interests to funding priorities, no matter what your passion. Below are a few of our major fundraising initiatives for the coming year.
Foster Inclusion on Campus
Housed in the College of Education and Human Development and launched in 2019, Aggie ACHIEVE (Academic Courses in Higher Inclusive Education and Vocational Experiences) is an inclusive four-year transition program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
ACHIEVE students successfully navigate campus life with the help of ACHIEVEMates, a group of undergraduates who provide academic, well-being and social support. Participants live on campus, join student organizations and enroll in various Texas A&M courses. Students also complete on-campus internships and will complete off-campus internships in more specialized areas during their junior and senior years. Upon completion, students receive a Certificate in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M University.
As the first program of its kind in Texas, Aggie ACHIEVE is creating a new level of inclusion among the Texas A&M campus community and opening doors to more social, learning and employment opportunities for adults with disabilities.
Numerous opportunities exist to support Aggie ACHIEVE, ranging from operational funding and scholarships for participants to support for the faculty and graduate students who ensure the program’s success. Contact Jody Ford ’99 at jford@txamfoundation.com or (979) 847-8655 to discover the perfect fit for your gift, or give online at give.am/AggieACHIEVE.
Give NowRevitalize the Allen Building
Since its founding in 1997, the Bush School of Government and Public Service has called the Robert H. and Judy Ley Allen Building home. Located adjacent to the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, the Allen Building has housed every cohort of Bush School leaders from its inaugural class of 17 students to its current class of more than 790.
During that time, the Allen Building has remained structurally and aesthetically untouched and, until recently, the school only had access to portions of the first and second floors. In 2020, when the school acquired the entire second floor of the building, a renovation campaign was launched to update the space for the growing number of Bush School students, faculty, staff, institutes, centers and programs.
Renovations will include two new student learning and collaboration centers, a redesigned atrium and lobby, additional graduate student workspaces complete with technological updates, Bush 41 legacy recognition throughout and more. Every enhancement is focused on the Bush School’s ultimate goal of producing the world’s best public servants.
If you are interested in supporting the Allen Building renovation, contact Alexandra Rainey ’15 at arainey@txamfoundation.com or (979) 458-8035.
Learn MoreExpand the Home of Business Leaders
As business education institutions around the world compete to attract top students, faculty and corporate partners, innovative facilities make all the difference in establishing a world-class educational experience. Mays Business School knows this well and has its sights set on expanding its current footprint to create the Business Education Complex. Located at the epicenter of the rapidly westward expansion of the campus, the complex will be designed to deliver lifelong learning to the diverse Mays community.
Plans include a striking grand atrium, a full café to encourage engagement, and ample work and study space that will promote connectivity, creativity and collaboration.
The Business Education Complex is currently scheduled to be completed by 2024. Mays Business School is seeking $37 million in private gifts to aid in the complex’s construction and further establish Texas A&M as a world leader in business education.
To support the construction of the Business Education Complex, contact Stephen Cisneros ’05 at scisneros@txamfoundation.com or (979) 862-3615. You can also give online at give.am/BusinessEducationComplex.
Give NowSupport Agricultural Pioneers
As the 1970 Nobel Prize laureate and one of the most highly-esteemed members of Texas A&M’s faculty, Dr. Norman Borlaug was acclaimed for his trailblazing work with high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties of grain, ushering in the Green Revolution and significantly reducing world hunger. He is often credited with saving more lives than anyone in history.
Now, through the creation of the Norman Borlaug Endowed Research Scholars Program (NBERS), Texas A&M’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is developing the next generation of agricultural research leaders. Established in 2019 through a $1 million matching fund from Cactus Feeders, a beef and pork producer located in the South and Midwest, the NBERS program will attract the most talented students to agriculture, food and nutrition research by awarding generous scholarships to deserving applicants.
By bringing in top researchers and empowering them with the tools to create global change, NBERS will place Texas A&M at the forefront of preparing budding scientists to make crucial agricultural research breakthroughs.
To carry on Norman Borlaug’s legacy through an NBERS undergraduate scholarship (endowed at $50,000) or graduate fellowship (endowed at $125,000) contact Allyson Tjoelker ’02 at atjoelker@txamfoundation.com or (979) 458-7929. Matching funds are available.
Learn More2020Thank You
During a year that challenged every member of every community, Aggies and friends of Texas A&M University were resolute in their commitment to supporting our students, faculty and staff. Your contributions will empower generations of Aggies to dare greatly in serving others across the state, nation and world. Thanks to your generosity, Aggieland will continue to uphold its values and stand as a proud beacon of leadership and camaraderie for all to see.
