Vanderbilt University’s Dare to Grow campaign – which launched publicly in spring 2023 – has surpassed its $3.2 billion fundraising goal 20 months ahead of its target date of June 30, 2026, evidencing the generosity of donors, widespread enthusiasm for the university’s vision and boundless potential for the future. The announcement, which Chancellor Daniel Diermeier shared with alumni and supporters during Reunion Weekend, is a celebration and a call to action as Vanderbilt looks ahead to deepening its impact in Nashville, across the nation and worldwide.
This Dare to Grow campaign — which takes its name from the university’s motto Crescere aude — has made an impact on the Vanderbilt community and beyond. And through support from donors, the campaign has facilitated the launch of the Roberts Academy and Dyslexia Center, Dialogue Vanderbilt, the Berg Global Artist-in-Residence program, and several other transformative initiatives.
Campaign gifts provided scholarships to undergraduates through Opportunity Vanderbilt, further securing the program’s impact and reputation as the nation’s gold standard for financial aid. And donors have supported graduate students across the university, including through the Access2VLS need-based grants at Vanderbilt Law School. The Dare to Grow campaign has raised funds to support students’ experiential learning opportunities through internships, study abroad and summer research, as well as extracurricular experiences in student organizations, club sports and more.
Since the public launch of the campaign, over 138,500 supporters have:
— Contributed approximately $654 million to support faculty and research programs
— Created 161 new endowments to support faculty
— Given over $452 million to support undergraduate students, establishing 687 scholarships and counting
— Established 489 graduate scholarships and gave $230 million for graduate scholarship support
Along with these academic achievements, the Dare to Grow campaign has revolutionized Vanderbilt’s athletics programs through the Vandy United initiative. With about $354 million raised for Vandy United, the university has begun work on major facilities and operational enhancements, including the Frist Athletics Village, a world-class basketball facility, and ambitious renovations planned for Hawkins Field. Through the Ingram Center for Student-Athlete Success and other efforts, the campaign has also funded scholarships and support programs to ensure that Vanderbilt student-athletes are poised for success both on and off the field.
Reaching the $3.2 billion goal ahead of schedule is a testament to the engagement of the Vanderbilt community — from dedicated parents, families, and friends to supporters in Nashville to alumni across the globe. Already, the university has engaged over 95,000 alumni through its call to “Give, Go, Help, Share.” Since spring 2023, Vanderbilt has hosted more than 2,700 guests at Dare to Grow roadshows and salons, which have been held across the country and will continue until the campaign’s close in June 2026.
The continued fundraising for the Dare to Grow campaign will support a range of initiatives across the university: from new landmark efforts like the Institute of National Security and the College of Connected Computing; to powerhouse research programs such as the Prenatal to 3 Policy Impact Center and the Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research; to school-based interdisciplinary programs like the Energy, Environment and Land Use Program at the Law School and the McGee Applied Research Center for Narrative Studies at the College of Arts and Science; to an enhanced presence for Vanderbilt in New York City and West Palm Beach.
Plus, ongoing support of the campaign will support even more students through Vanderbilt’s signature programs for undergraduates, including residential colleges, Immersion Vanderbilt, Experience Vanderbilt and Opportunity Vanderbilt, which is celebrating its 15-year anniversary and was recently expanded to provide full tuition to all admitted students from households with an income of $150,000 and below.
KEY QUOTES:
“This is a milestone we can all be proud of. Thanks to every one of our donors and the team behind the campaign, Dare to Grow is fueling our ambition to become the Great University of the 21st Century. It is changing lives through scholarships, opening doors for research, improving facilities for our student-athletes and fans, and much more. Having seen what we can accomplish together, we will set our aspirations higher and work together to reach them.”
— Chancellor Daniel Diermeier
“Reaching this milestone early reflects our community’s profound dedication to Vanderbilt’s mission. Through this campaign, we’re expanding scholarships, advancing faculty research, and creating new pathways for discovery and collaboration. The impact of Dare to Grow is only beginning, as we work together to shape a future of lasting impact.”
– Provost C. Cybele Raver
“Vanderbilt’s commitment to excellence is palpable not only on campus, but across our network of Commodores. Fundraising is a team sport, and the Vanderbilt community has worked together to reach and exceed this extraordinary goal. Now, in true Vanderbilt fashion, we can seize the opportunity to work even harder and drive even more life-changing impact through the end of the campaign and beyond.”
— Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Relations John Lutz
“By investing in Vanderbilt, we are investing in the future—the next wave of leaders, of scientific breakthroughs, of critical conversations, of solutions to society’s problems. That’s what daring to grow is about. And there’s still time for all of us to be a part of it.”
— Steven Madden, founder, CEO and president of Apex Heritage Group; campaign co-chair and university trustee
“The Vanderbilt community is filled with people who, quite simply, never stop. We see this in the university’s headline-making initiatives, our student-athletes’ victories, and this historic campaign, which, although it has surpassed its initial goal, is just getting started.”
— Mark Mays, principal of Rocking M Capital and former CEO of Clear Channel Communications; ; campaign co-chair and university trustee
