What Southern Illinois University Foundation does

The Southern Illinois University Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves as the private fundraising and gift-processing arm of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, a public research university founded in 1869 and headquartered in Carbondale, Illinois. The Foundation operates independently from the public university system (which is governed by the SIU Board of Trustees) and channels charitable contributions from alumni, individuals, corporations, and organizations into scholarships, research, capital projects, and university programs. The underlying university delivers a comprehensive academic portfolio spanning 200+ undergraduate majors, graduate and doctoral programs, the Simmons Law School, the School of Medicine, and distributed learning options including online programs (online.siu.edu) and off-campus extended locations. The Foundation itself is staffed at 251–500 employees and runs on a standard technology stack centered on the D2L-based MyCourses LMS, Microsoft Office 365, and digital fundraising infrastructure, with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Revenue is generated through three distinct streams: philanthropic donations processed by the Foundation, $69 million in external research and service grants awarded to the university, and tuition and fees from undergraduate, graduate, medical, and law school students across on-campus, online, and off-campus modalities. The Foundation competes on cost efficiency via the university's no out-of-state tuition policy, an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, and a 3,000-acre campus footprint, and benefits from the brand strength of nationally ranked programs such as the Flying Salukis aviation team.

Name

Southern Illinois University Foundation

Legal name

Southern Illinois University Foundation

Website

https://siuc.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1869

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Southern Illinois University Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises and manages charitable gifts for Southern Illinois University Carbondale. It supports a public research university delivering undergraduate, graduate, law, and medical programs across on-campus, online, and off-campus channels in the Midwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Carbondale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations and Fundraising: The SIU Foundation raises funds through charitable donations from alumni, individuals, corporations, and organizations. These funds support scholarships, research initiatives, capital projects, and university programs.
2. External Research Grants: The university receives external grants for research and service activities, with $69 million awarded in external grants for research and service last year.
3. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate, graduate, medical, and law school programs across on-campus, online, and off-campus modalities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southern Illinois University Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises, manages, and stewards charitable donations and endowments for the benefit of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Its core activities include soliciting philanthropic gifts from alumni, individuals, corporations, and organizations; administering endowments; and directing those funds toward scholarships, research, capital projects, and university programs. It also supports the university's academic portfolio of undergraduate, graduate, law, and medical programs delivered on-campus, online, and at off-campus locations.

Product overview

Southern Illinois University is a public research university offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs. The institution operates as a single unified academic institution providing undergraduate degrees (200+ majors), graduate programs at master's and doctoral levels, online learning options, and off-campus education through extended locations. The university includes two professional schools: Simmons Law School and the School of Medicine. The portfolio is structured around the main Carbondale campus with distributed learning modalities including in-person, online, and hybrid formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs
• Graduate Programs Advanced master's and doctoral degree programs across multiple schools and departments at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
• Online Programs Distance learning degree and certificate programs delivered remotely through online.siu.edu for students who need flexible learning options.
• Off-Campus Programs Academic programs offered at extended campus locations beyond the main Carbondale campus to serve regional students.
• Simmons Law School Professional law school offering the Juris Doctor degree and legal education programs at law.siu.edu.
• School of Medicine Medical education programs including the MD degree and medical training, operated at siumed.edu.
• Charitable Gift Administration Fundraising and gift-processing service offered through siuf.org that enables alumni, individuals, corporations, and organizations to make tax-deductible donations supporting scholarships, research, and university programs.
• External Research Grant Administration Administration of external research and service grants awarded to the university, totaling $69 million in the most recent reporting period.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• University of Illinois Foundation: The 501(c)(3) fundraising and endowment-management arm for the University of Illinois system. Directly comparable as a state-level university foundation supporting a major Illinois public research university with multiple campuses and professional schools.
• Purdue University / Purdue Research Foundation: Indiana-based public research university with a strong aviation program and a separate foundation entity. Comparable on aviation specialty, public R1 status, and the foundation structure supporting fundraising and research.
• Indiana University Foundation: Foundation supporting Indiana University, a Midwestern public R1 system with multiple campuses and professional schools. Comparable as a regional public-university foundation with similar fundraising and endowment-management functions.
• University of Missouri Foundation: Foundation for a Midwestern public research university with multi-campus operations including medical and law schools. Comparable structure, geography, and endowment-management scope to SIU Foundation.
• University of Iowa Foundation: Foundation supporting the University of Iowa, a public R1 with law and medical schools in the Midwest. Directly comparable on institution type, professional school portfolio, and donor-development mission.

Regional players

• Illinois State University Foundation: Foundation for another Illinois public university with comprehensive undergraduate and graduate programs. Comparable state-level nonprofit foundation serving a public university in the same geography.
• Northern Illinois University Foundation: Foundation for a regional Illinois public university. Comparable as a same-state university foundation operating in a similar Midwest enrollment market with comparable scale.
• Eastern Illinois University Foundation: Foundation supporting another regional public Illinois university. Comparable as a same-state nonprofit foundation serving a public university with similar mission and donor-development profile.
• University of Kansas Endowment: Foundation/endowment for a major Midwest public research university with law and medical schools. Comparable as a regional peer public-university foundation with comprehensive academic offerings.
• Ball State University Foundation: Foundation for an Indiana public university with comparable enrollment size and program mix. Comparable as a Midwestern regional university foundation with similar fundraising scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SIUC?fbclid=IwAR0PCHCRvx--8h67d7k02CcBTP3_JYWdGvZaREmmnaLEP46kldVzZ9pTpXk
• Facebookfacebook.com/34425751898
• Instagraminstagram.com/thisissiu
• TikToktiktok.com/@thisissiu?fbclid=IwAR16nSGmq-BSmBqDjt2xxXRHkXA6LKzXF7RfNYAn-AvS8O16MS7A6yGfOeo
• Xx.com/siuc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/siu-carbondale

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Southern Illinois University Foundation