The annual fundraising campaign in FY 2014/15 (July 1, 2014 – June 30, 2015) concluded with a total revenue of approximately $116,000. This result exhibits a repeating downward trend of contribution revenues in recent years with $139,000, $131,000, and $110,000 in FY 2011/12, FY 2012/13, and FY 2013/14, respectively (see figure below).
The substantial decline in trust distributions is largely attributable to two sources. First, FUTI had to accept a reduction in income from Shintech Inc’s Trust Fund, due to the continued erosion in the earnings of U.S. treasury notes, in which this Trust has been exclusively invested. Second, it was not possible to secure stable earnings during the process of renewing the Trust agreement, which expired this year.
In addition, the number of individual donors has decreased to 54 this year, in comparison with 73 two years ago and 59 last year. In the midst of these challenges, which were caused by the recent decrease in donations from the general public, we received delightful news. Two generous individual donors granted us $30,000 and $20,000. These two donations not only compensated for the substantial foregone revenue loss from Shintec Inc’s Trust Fund, but also offered optimism for the future of our fundraising. Thanks to the two donations, we were able to maintain a revenue level equivalent to that of last year.
We are sincerely thankful to Shintech Inc. for agreeing to extend the Trust agreement for the next five years. We also appreciate many individual donors who continue to support our activities. We cannot emphasize enough the positive impact that these large donations from the two individuals had on FUTI. Their magnanimity allowed us to avoid a revenue crisis. Without such generous donations, FUTI would have had to scale back our programs significantly.
Over the past several years, we have made great strides to nurture our programs. We are pleased to see their steady growth, and have now reached a point where our summer scholarship and research grant programs are flourishing. It will be pleasure for us to see UTokyo increase its presence in the global community, which is becoming more and more competitive with many other well-recognized universities across the globe, including those from advanced countries. UTokyo would deeply appreciate your support of FUTI, which enables us to send many highly qualified students into the global community.
Yuichiro Kuwama, Fumiko Tamura
Articles in this newsletter:
- FUTI Directors, Masaaki Yamada and Yuichiro Kuwama Elected as the New President and Vice-President, Respectively
- Two Major Donations Avert Revenue Crisis
- FUTI Receives Major Gift from Mixi Founder Kenji Kasahara
- Annual Board Meeting Held
- President Yamada to Receive the Prestigious Maxwell Prize
- Prof. Furuya Lectures in New York: The Gifts of the Ocean and its Future
- Excerpts of Report by 2015 Summer Scholarship Recipients
- University of Tokyo Establishes a New Office in New York
