Give Now

Overview

Established in 1935, the University of Illinois Foundation is the official fundraising and private gift-receiving agency for the University of Illinois System and its three universities: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois Chicago, and University of Illinois Springfield

The Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, is an independent and separate nonprofit entity from the University of Illinois. Our mission is to encourage and administer private gifts and serve the UI System by working closely with alumni, faculty, corporations, foundations, and development staff to create fundraising programs and opportunities that benefit the University of Illinois.

At the University of Illinois Foundation, we are deeply committed to honoring the trust and generosity of our donors and all philanthropic investments in the University of Illinois. We understand that commitments and contributions are made with the intention of making a positive impact on the University of Illinois, its faculty, students, and programs, and we take that responsibility seriously.

Our Stewardship Commitment to Donors

Alignment with Your Intentions: We pledge to allocate your gifts in accordance with your specified wishes, whether it’s for a specific college, unit, project, or area of need. We will work in partnership with our universities to communicate openly about any necessary adjustments to ensure your donation continues to fulfill its intended purpose.

Accountability: Integrity and accountability guide our financial practices. We are dedicated to adhering to high ethical standards and will undergo regular audits to ensure compliance in our operations, with a particular commitment to ensuring donor intent is met.

Communication: We will maintain open lines of communication with university administrators, faculty, and staff responsible for spending and help ensure they have all the information, training, and tools necessary to spend gift funds according to donor wishes.

Impact Reporting: We will regularly share stories, metrics, and outcomes with our donors, potential donors, and stakeholders that illustrate how donor contributions are making a difference across the University of Illinois System and its three universities in Urbana, Chicago, and Springfield.

The Foundation Board of Directors, in support of this commitment, has designated the Stewardship Committee of the Board of Directors to provide oversight involving the stewardship of the University of Illinois Foundation’s donor funds. The Committee reviews and advises on matters of donor intent and monitors policies and practices that protect donor intent.

The University of Illinois Foundation also supports the national standard Donor Bill of Rights developed by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and the Giving Institute.

(November 2024)

The Foundation offers leadership and coordination across the development program at the University of Illinois to identify strategic opportunities for continued growth and enhancement. Additionally, we provide leadership and guidance in areas that require specialized expertise, including campaign planning and deployment, donor engagement, marketing, and events management. The Foundation’s gift planning experts also share their extensive knowledge in matters of taxation, investments, estate planning and financial management, specifically as it relates to benefits donors can take advantage of through their giving to the University of Illinois.

The Foundation’s Investment Office oversees and manages a $2.99 billion endowment and leads efforts that focus on performance and the long-term, strategic management of the endowment, as well as the Foundation’s investment policies. The funds generated from the endowment are distributed annually to each university to support our world-class faculty, staff, and students today, tomorrow, and into the future.

Leadership

Meet Our People

The Board of Directors is the governing body of our organization. The Board is responsible for identifying and supporting our mission and selecting our president/CEO.

Consisting of 19-24 voting members, governing directors of the Board are elected for three years, with a maximum of four terms. Governing directors whose terms have expired may be elected life directors. Life directors serve in an advisory capacity and have no voting privileges.

Richard C. Osborne MBA ’73
Chair
Senior Managing Director, Madison Industries
Karen M. Golz ’76
Chair‑Elect
(Retired) Global Vice Chair, Ernst & Young Global Limited
Anthony G. DiTommaso ’74, MS ’76
Immediate Past Chair
Managing Partner, Ecvall, LLC
James H. Moore, Jr.
President/CEO
Jennifer F. Cerasa
Secretary & Legal Counsel
Christine C. Devocelle MBA ’13
Treasurer & COO/CFO
Travis Shore
Chief Investment Officer
Kelly L. Bennett '04, MAS '05
Assistant Treasurer
Michelle S. Bolger MBA ’14
Assistant Treasurer
Jacquline N. Schweighart ’03, EdM ’09
Assistant Secretary
Shakeeb Alam ’97
Co‑Founder & President, East Bridge Capital Management
Donald E. Bielinski ’71
Managing Partner, SMB Interim Management, LLC
William D. Forsyth ‘86
Partner and Founder, Frontier One LLC
Alejandra Garza ’88
Founder and Principal, AGG Consulting
Beth Georgia Gies ’89
President, Gies Foundation
Gozen Basar Hartman, BS ‘01
CEO and Co‑Founder, Fairlawn
Cynthia M. Helle ’85
Director, The Josselyn Center and Providence Englewood Charter School Foundation
Julie A. Kellner ’86
(Retired) Executive Director, The Lincoln Academy of Illinois
Stuart L. Levenick ’76
(Retired) Group President, Caterpillar, Inc.
Jean M. Manning ’72, MBA ’78, JD ’83
Emeritus Chief Counsel for Employment, United States Senate
A. Helen McGrath ’77, MS ’78
(Retired) Vice President, AT&T Inc.
Saul J. Morse ’69, JD ’72
Attorney, Brown, Hay & Stephens, LLP
Deborah A. Paul, PhD MS ’79
(Retired) Biochemist/Director, Business Development & Licensing, Abbott Laboratories
Mary Ellen Penicook ’81, JD ’87
(Retired) Corporate Attorney & Assistant Secretary, Federal Signal Corporation
Amita K. Schultes, PhD ’96, MA ’01
Partner, Cerity Partners OCIO
Khawar M. Siddique ’94, MD ’98
CEO, DOCS Health & DOCS Surgical Hospital
Paul T. Tucker ’70, MS ’71, PhD ’75
(Retired) Corporate Vice President, Computer Sciences Corporation
Rakesh Varma ’77
Chair and CEO, ARV Capital Management
Donald J. Edwards ’88
Chair, University of Illinois Board of Trustees
Chief Executive Officer, Flexpoint Ford, LLC
Timothy L. Killeen
President, University of Illinois System
Paul Ellinger
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Comptroller, University of Illinois System
James H. Moore, Jr.
President/CEO, University of Illinois Foundation
James M. Benson ’68
Chairman, Benson Botsford, LLC
Gary K. Bielfeldt ’58, MS ’59
Managing Partner, Bielfeldt & Company, LLC
Henry B. Blackwell II ’52
(Retired) Counsel, Baker & Daniels, LLP
Doris K. Christopher ’67
Founder & Chairman, The Pampered Chef, Ltd.
James R. DeBord ’69, MS ’71, MD ’74
(Retired) Professor of Surgery, University of Illinois College of Medicine
Jane Phillips Donaldson ’65, MS ’67
Partner, Phillips Oppenheim
David J. Downey ’63, JD ’66
President, The Downey Group, Inc.
Alan D. Feldman ’74, MBA ’76
(Retired) Chairman, President & CEO, Midas, Inc.
W. Robert Felker ’74
Partner, Gator Trading
Laura L. Fraley ’77, MS ’79
Principal, Greenway Family Office, LLC
Juanita F. Francis ’70
President, F2 Family Foundation
Louis A. Friedrich ’67
(Retired) Principal, Bernstein Global Wealth Management
John A. Georges ’51
(Retired) Chairman & CEO, International Paper Company
Mary Kay Haben ’77
(Retired) President, North America, William Wrigley Jr. Co.
G. Stephen Irwin MD ’77
(Retired) President & Chairman, The Center for Outpatient Medicine
Mannie L. Jackson ’60
(Former) Chairman, Harlem Globetrotters
Gail Veasman Kellogg ’65
(Retired) Partner, Hewitt Associates
Shahid R. Khan ’71
President, Flex‑N‑Gate Corporation
Robert Klaus ’57
President, Klaus Companies
Leon J. Loichle MA ’71
(Retired) Global Personnel Development Manager, Ford Motor Company
Gregory B. Lykins ’69
Vice Chairman, First Busey Corporation Co‑Founder and Partner, Armory Capital LLC
R. Eden Martin ’62
Of Counsel, Sidley Austin, LLP
William C. Merchantz ’79
(Retired) President & CEO, Lakeview Technology, Inc.
Steven L. Miller ’67
Chairman & President, SLM Discovery Ventures, Inc.
Roger L. Plummer ’64
President, Plummer & Associates Consulting
Gayl S. Pyatt ’64
(Retired) Attorney, Gayl Simonds Pyatt, Attorney at Law
Mark A. Pytosh ’86
President & CEO, CVR GP, LLC
Jane Hayes Rader ’54
(Retired) Commissioner, Illinois Human Rights Commission
José L. Santillan ’80
(Retired) Senior Securities Compliance Examiner, Industry Expert, Division of Enforcement, U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission
Edwin A. Scharlau II ’66, MS ’68, PhD ’74
(Retired) Vice Chairman, Busey Bank
Kay M. Schwichtenberg MBA ’84
(Retired) President & CEO, Central Life Sciences
Michael T. Tokarz ’71, MBA ’73
Chairman, The Tokarz Group, LLC
Carl L. Vacketta ’63, JD ’65
(Retired) Senior Counsel, DLA Piper, LLP (U.S.)

The Advancement Services group manages information from data entry through to reports, communication lists, prospect lists, analytics, and other outputs. They identify potential donors and work with gift officers to achieve portfolio optimization.

aims@uif.uillinois.edu

Advancement Technology Services is responsible for all aspects of the Foundation’s information technology environment and systems including governance, security, and enterprise management.

aims@uif.uillinois.edu

The Board & Donor Engagement group has oversight of Foundation board relations, donor relations, events, and community relations.

donorrelations@uif.uillinois.edu

Donor Services coordinates constituent communication, mass communication marketing efforts, and the annual giving program, including engagement centers in Champaign and Chicago.

donorservices@uif.uillinois.edu

Financial Operations is responsible for most processes relating to gifts and UIF finances. Departments include accounting, gift processing, gift administration, cash desk, and real property.

The General Counsel’s office provides advice and counsel for matters related to real estate, gifts and bequests, investments, bond issuances, governance, procurement, and other business transactions.

generalcounsel@uif.uillinois.edu

The Gift Planning & Trust Services team assists prospects and donors (and their advisers) with the structuring and management of charitable gift plans in support of the university, with a focus on financial, tax, and estate planning considerations.

gpinfo@uif.uillinois.edu

Human Resources works with Foundation leadership in developing strategies to attract, recruit, and retain the best staff. HR also provides professional development opportunities via the Learning & Development department.

hr@uif.uillinois.edu

The University of Illinois Foundation Investment Office oversees and manages a $2.99 billion endowment program that supports the University of Illinois System and its three universities.

investmentoperations@uif.uillinois.edu

The Marketing & Communications team is responsible for producing communication materials, managing Foundation‑related branding and design, and coordinating website creation and management.

marcom@uif.uillinois.edu

The Strategic Innovation team coordinates early investigation of growth market potential and assists in identifying opportunities for disruption to the higher education advancement and philanthropy industries and the UI advancement program.

klblum2@uif.uillinois.edu

Why Work at the Foundation?

Working at the University of Illinois Foundation is more than just a job; it’s about making an impact—on the university and for yourself. From a collaborative atmosphere to work-life balance to competitive benefits, the Foundation provides it all for its mission-driven employees.

Competitive Compensation

At UIF, we understand that attracting and retaining top talent requires more than a fulfilling job—it demands competitive compensation. We are proud to offer a pay structure that ensures our employees are recognized and rewarded for their hard work and dedication.

Retirement & Health Benefits

A comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, complements our competitive pay. We are a separate entity from the University of Illinois System but are privileged to participate in the same State University Retirement System and state benefits options. We offer additional disability insurance and retirement options.

Work-Life Balance

We are committed to fostering a work environment where balance is not just encouraged but is a vital part of our culture. Recharge with a generous allotment of vacation days, floating holidays, and sick leave. The Foundation offers a supportive and flexible work environment, enabling employees to work hybrid schedules that support their work and work‑life balance.

Educational Benefits & Professional Development Opportunities

We believe in investing in our employees’ professional and personal growth. The Foundation strives to create a supportive environment that encourages continuous learning and development during employment. Foundation staff may be eligible for a tuition waiver from any of the three University of Illinois campuses. Children of staff may be eligible for up to 50 percent tuition reimbursement after seven years of service.

Impactful Work

We believe that work should be more than just a job—it should be an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the world. We are dedicated to creating an environment where your work has a lasting, positive impact at our three universities and on society, the environment, and the community. Whether employees work in face-to-face fundraising, mass marketing, or operations, connection to the organization’s mission consistently ranks highly for why employees join and stay at the University of Illinois Foundation.

Health & Wellness

Its employees’ physical and mental health are of utmost importance to the UIF. That is why achieving WELL certification was a priority when the new UI Philanthropy Center was built. WELL is the premier building standard focusing on employee health and wellness through the buildings where they work. The access we provide to wellness programs, fitness facilities, and healthy meal options creates a positive and supportive workplace that reduces stress and enhances overall quality of life.