2024-2025 was a year of momentum, transition, and deep collaboration with our academic colleagues, with our alumni, donors and volunteers around the world, and across our team.
This was our best year for seven-figure gifts and asks and our second-best year for new funds raised below principal gift level (below £10 million). These results reflect strength in our underlying major gifts performance and show real promise ahead of the next campaign.
During this campaign transition period, there has been a focus on consolidating and rebuilding; filling vacant leadership positions, welcoming fundraisers into key new strategic roles in sustainability, and climate and nature, and building out the principal gifts team. With the formation of a campaign advisory group and a series of Vice-Chancellor-hosted dinners, there has been close collaboration with academic colleagues and senior leaders to gather vital perspectives in preparation for the next campaign.
We saw strong engagement across events and outreach. More than 150 Cambridge academics participated in alumni and cultivation events, expanding our reach through a series of successful events in strategic markets, many of them firsts in years.
One of the standout moments for me this year was the conferral of honorary degrees. Each recipient represents excellence in their field, and Stormzy’s recognition was especially meaningful given his philanthropic support for Cambridge and the opportunity it provided to celebrate what’s possible through philanthropy.
We recognise and are grateful for the many partnerships that are central to our work. Please read on for a snapshot of the collaborations helping us achieve our mission.
Alison Traub, Executive Director, Development and Alumni Relations