Northwest Foundation reports successful FY26 with increases in total giving, University support

Northwest Foundation Inc., the fundraising arm of Northwest Missouri State University, maintained its focus on scholarship funding during Fiscal Year 2026 while raising awareness about the importance of supporting the University and its students.

The Foundation secured $7.3 million in total giving during FY26, which ended June 30. The total represents a 14 percent increase in giving from the prior year.

Scholarship support, which remains a central mission of the Foundation, totaled more than $1.55 million and funded 1,533 scholarship awards to Northwest students. The average scholarship amount awarded from donor-funded scholarships during FY26 was $1,068.66.

Furthermore, the Foundation facilitated the creation of 12 endowed scholarships, established through gifts totaling a minimum of $25,000.

“Every year I am reminded that the heart of Northwest is its people,” Mike Johnson, the vice president of university advancement at Northwest and executive director of the Northwest Foundation, said. “This year, our alumni, friends, families and generous supporters came together in an extraordinary way, giving $7.3 million to help strengthen the future of our University and, most importantly, our students. What touches me most is knowing that more than $1.55 million of that support provided scholarship awards. Behind every one of those scholarships is a student with a dream, a family making sacrifices and a future that is a little brighter because someone chose to give. I am deeply humbled and grateful for everyone who believes in our students and continues to invest in their success.”

The Foundation’s successful fiscal year also included its sixth annual Bearcat Day of Green last April, which invites Northwest alumni and friends to devote 1,905 minutes to raising support for University initiatives. This year’s event ended with donors providing $219,713, setting a record for the event and an increase of nearly 17 percent from the 2025 Bearcat Day of Green. Donors supported initiatives centered on academics, Bearcat athletics, the Northwest Fund, scholarships and student life.

Additionally, the Foundation provided more than $3 million to the University – an increase of 58 percent – as direct and indirect support for various needs in FY26. That support included funding for the completion of a creamery at the University’s Agricultural Learning Center and increased support for profession-based learning initiatives in all academic areas.

Membership in The 1905 Society, which recognizes supporters who make an annual unrestricted gift of $1,000 or more, totals 181 donors. Meanwhile, the Foundation’s annual giving program raised about $757,500 during the last year, an increase of 30 percent from the year before.

Nearly 70 percent of the total funds raised by the Foundation during FY26 were cash gifts, while a total of 5,047 donors contributed to Northwest initiatives. In all, the Foundation’s total assets under management amount to about $64.5 million, while its endowment stands at about $43 million.

Separately, the Northwest Alumni Association recorded about 3,600 attendees at nearly 100 association-sponsored engagement activities throughout the country during FY26, including the social gatherings on and away from the campus as well as pregame athletic events. The University counts about 80,000 alumni and friends as members of the Northwest Alumni Association.

The Northwest Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, develops and stewards philanthropic resources for the benefit of Northwest Missouri State University and its students. It is governed by a 32-member volunteer board and staffed by members of Northwest’s Office of University Advancement.

To make a gift to support Northwest, contact the Office of University Advancement at 660.562.1248 or visit www.nwmissouri.edu/GiveOnline.