The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health achieved substantial improvement in its financial performance in fiscal year 2016. Revenues totaled $356 million, a 6 percent increase over the prior year. Three of the largest sources of revenue—sponsored research, endowment income, and tuition income—as well as fundraising contributed to this strong growth. Endowment income benefited particularly from the School’s first income distribution from the $350 million naming gift made in 2014. While expenses increased 5 percent compared with fiscal year 2015, sponsored research funding covered more than two-thirds of the cost increases.
The Harvard Chan School continues to pursue its strategy of revenue diversification and expense management as the path to returning to a balanced budget. However, recent market performance and federal budget uncertainty may extend the timeline to a full financial recovery.
Fundraising Highlights
Fiscal year 2016 was another successful fundraising year. A total of $89.5 million in philanthropic support was raised against a goal of $84.6 million. In addition to the $350 million naming gift—an unrestricted endowment gift that began generating income for the School in this fiscal year—the School has raised $409.3 million toward its original Campaign goal of $450 million. This includes the following amounts across our four Campaign themes: $104.5 million for Old and New Pandemics; $99.6 million for Poverty and Humanitarian Crises; $103.9 million for Harmful Physical and Social Environments; and $101.2 million for Failing Health Systems. These totals include funds raised during this fiscal year for the establishment and launch of the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness, which included two endowed professorships. It also includes funds for two additional professorships—the Julio Frenk Professorship of Public Health Leadership and the Huntley Family Professorship of Health Care Management. Funds raised for financial aid came to $7.6 million. Faculty and staff contributed a total of $5.7 million, an increase of 225 percent over the previous year, and 318 new donors joined the ranks of Harvard Chan supporters. A total of 1,275 alumni contributed to the School in fiscal year 2016, bringing the alumni participation rate to just over 9 percent.
