Stony Brook Foundation, Inc.

Established in 1965, the Stony Brook Foundation is a private 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization. It exists to advance the goals and strategic plan of Stony Brook University by raising and managing private funds on the University’s behalf. Since its inception, the Foundation has raised nearly $1 billion in gifts and employs best practices and procedures to ensure all gifts are wisely invested and distributed consistent with each donor’s expressed intent.

Philanthropy through the Stony Brook Foundation that supports Stony Brook University’s programs have never been more important given the well-documented decline in state funding for public higher education. Although New York State is more generous to its state university system than those of other states, it funds less than 18 percent of Stony Brook’s annual operating budget.

Ensuring access to a world-class public university education for highly qualified students from families with limited means is central to our mission. At Stony Brook, approximately one-third of students are Pell eligible, meaning they come from families earning less than $30,000 a year. And among fellow members of the prestigious Association of American Universities, Stony Brook University stands out with the second highest proportion of Pell eligible students.

To meet this need, the Foundation raises private dollars for merit and need-based student scholarship and fellowship support. Privately raised funds help ensure that Stony Brook is not about privilege but about potential.

Funds raised by the Stony Brook Foundation for endowed faculty, innovative technology, and basic and translational research have enabled the University to achieve a critical margin of excellence and a U.S. News & World Report ranking of 39 among public universities in the country as well as #24 for top performers of Social Mobility

The strategy to advance the goals of Stony Brook University is driven by the University’s Advancement Department. The Advancement staff connects and builds relationships with friends, foundations, corporations and alumni to raise funds for the University, Stony Brook Medicine, the Long Island State Veterans Home and related funding priorities that advance the University's mission.

Under the leadership of Senior Vice President Dexter A. Bailey, who also served as Executive Director of the Stony Brook Foundation, University Advancement completed the largest fundraising campaign in SUNY history, The Campaign for Stony Brook, raised $630.7 million in private donations from 47,961 friends, corporations, foundations, faculty, staff and alumni.

Advancement is composed of these major areas:

• Development: Comprises all frontline fundraising activity by leadership and major gift, the Annual Fund, Planned Giving, and Foundation and Corporate Relations.

• Alumni Relations: Connects and involves alumni, students and parents with the University and each other, and advises and oversees the Stony Brook Alumni Association.

• Special Events: Manages Advancement initiated events on and off campus that seek to engage, cultivate and steward fundraising prospects and donors.

• Advancement Communications: Creates the tools and messaging that help persuade friends and alumni to invest in Stony Brook.

• Advancement Services: Responsible for Advancement related operations including technology management, prospect research and donor relations.

Moreover, many of the Advancement staff have presented at industry conferences and are considered thought leaders in today’s dynamic higher education and medicine fundraising professions.

Our continued efforts focus on building a comprehensive fundraising program that will support Stony Brook University’s ambitious mission. With declining State support, a professional fundraising program is necessary for Stony Brook to complete effectively with our aspirational peers for top students, faculty and academic programs.

In 2011 Dexter A. Bailey, who has 25 years of experience in educational advancement, was appointed Senior Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the Stony Brook Foundation. Under his leadership, Stony Brook University has increased annual fundraising from $41 million to $90 million annually and launched and completed a $630 million dollar campaign, the largest campaign in the history of the State University of New York (SUNY). In addition, Dexter Bailey has strengthened the Stony Brook Foundation by diversifying the Foundation board, introducing dean's councils for every college and school at the institution, hiring the Foundation's first chief investment officer and by introducing and leveraging data & analytics to guide the Foundation's work.

Moreover, we have re-engineered the entire Advancement division, and we have welcomed more veteran fundraising professionals, strengthened accountability, increased alumni services and enhanced donor engagement and stewardship.

We have the fundamental infrastructure in place to support our growing community of committed donors and are exceptionally proud of our Advancement and Foundation team members who have worked tirelessly and diligently on behalf of our deserving students, faculty and staff.

In June 2018, Stony Brook University concluded the most successful fundraising effort in SUNY history. Over the past seven years, The Campaign for Stony Brook raised $630.7 million, exceeding the $600 million goal by five percent.

The campaign was built around seven core priorities, reflecting the breadth of Stony Brook’s mission and the depth of our commitment to making a difference.

Scholarships - As the cost of a college education continues to rise, Stony Brook prides itself on delivering a world-class education at a remarkably affordable price. We are committed to giving talented students and their families’ opportunities that may be otherwise unavailable to them.

Research & Innovation - Stony Brook has earned a reputation as a public research university that thrives on the forefront of discovery. But we see an opportunity to go farther and become a national leader in the kind of collaborative, interdisciplinary inquiry that will drive the evolution of healthcare, energy, digital technology and social policy.

Endowed Faculty – To stand out in the competitive academic landscape, you need to have the best faculty. 44 newly created chairs and professorships – a 400% increase in endowed faculty - have helped us attract and retain top scholars across campus.

Medicine - By operating the largest hospital in Suffolk County and the top teaching hospital in the region, we assume a major responsibility. We commit ourselves to applied medical research and discovery that will generate new treatments and technologies. And we engage ourselves as educators for the next generation of medical professionals.

Economic Development – A critical part of our mission is the promotion of business innovation and entrepreneurship through research and public private partnerships. New partnerships with National Grid, Island Federal Credit Union, US Dept. of Energy, Long Island Forum and others are turbocharging the region’s economy.

Facilities & Campus Life - We are more than a university—we are a community. The close, formative relationships between our students and faculty is one of the most important barometers of the impact of the Stony Brook experience. By investing in facilities that support our community, we ensure its continued growth and strength.

Stony Brook Annual Fund - The Stony Brook Annual Fund is a vital means of providing ongoing support to make the greatest immediate impact on our community. Annual Fund donors direct their charitable gifts to specific academic programs, departments and colleges in addition to scholarships, graduate research stipends and a wide range of campus priorities.

While The Campaign for Stony Brook has concluded, our work will not end. We are determined to continue working at the highest possible level of professionalism and productivity to translate those successes into charitable support, the driving force behind our future achievements together.