UTIA Caps Historic Year with $34 Million in Philanthropic Support

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) raised $34 million in private support during the 2025–26 fiscal year, marking one of the most successful fundraising years in its history. The total ranks second only to fiscal year 2018, when a landmark legacy gift from Jim and Judi Herbert named the Herbert College of Agriculture.

UTIA’s 35% year-over-year growth in fundraising follows a 25% jump in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, a trajectory that bucks the trend in higher education fundraising nationally and reflects UT’s emergence as a leader in philanthropy. Systemwide, UT achieved a new fundraising record ($655 million), as did UT Knoxville ($547 million).

“There is extraordinary momentum at the University of Tennessee right now, and you can see it across the Institute of Agriculture — in our growing enrollment, expanding facilities, and breakthroughs in our teaching, research, and extension work,” said Keith Carver, UTIA senior vice chancellor and senior vice president. “This support fuels our mission to deliver Real. Life. Solutions. for Tennesseans.”

That momentum is also measured in people. Nearly 12,000 individual donors supported UTIA in FY26, which is almost twice the number who gave the year before. The surge owes much to the viral story of Baby Seven, the foal whose treatment drew widespread and much-deserved attention to the equine rehabilitation services of the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, but it also speaks to a growing recognition that UTIA is a compelling and trustworthy steward of philanthropic support.

Engagement is likewise climbing across the board. The Office of Advancement has expanded programming for graduates of the Herbert College of Agriculture and the College of Veterinary Medicine and for donors and constituents statewide, and that investment is paying off. More constituents than ever are attending events, serving as volunteer alumni leaders, and returning to campus to share their experiences with the next generation of agricultural leaders.

“I could not be prouder of what our team and our partners across UTIA have accomplished together,” said Charley Deal, UTIA vice chancellor of advancement. “Our alumni and donors see what’s happening here, and they want to be part of it. Every gift, and every hour our volunteers give, reflects a belief in this institute and in the people we serve.”

Behind these records stands a growing community of alumni, donors, and volunteers who believe in the Institute of Agriculture and the Tennesseans it serves. Their generosity funds scholarships that develop skilled, lifelong learners; research that addresses challenges in food, health, and natural resources; and outreach that strengthens communities in every Tennessee county.

UT raises funds through the University of Tennessee Foundation, an independent nonprofit corporation that seeks to enrich the lives of UT students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends through alumni engagement, financial stewardship and private investments. The foundation is the preferred channel for all private contributions benefiting faculty and students at all schools within the University of Tennessee System.