Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the AKU Annual Fund unique?

Gifts to the AKU Annual Fund provide annual support and are fully utilised each year for the University’s priorities, which include improving the student experience, enhancing research facilities or providing better patient care.

In contrast to this, other gifts have more specific uses. A restricted gift, for example, provides funding for a specific purpose chosen by the donor and cannot be used for anything else.

Gifts to the endowment are another type of gift that is invested to benefit AKU in perpetuity—however, only a portion of endowment earnings can be spent each year.

Can I designate my AKU Annual Fund gifts to specific areas?

You can direct your contribution to any of the areas listed on the AKU Annual Fund pledge form: Education Assistance, Research, Patient Welfare, Paediatric Welfare, Neo-natal care, Oncology and Cardiac Treatment, to name a few.

With a gift to one—or gifts to several—of the parts of the AKU Annual Fund, you help provide flexible and immediately available resources for departments, colleges, schools, and AKU-wide units.

Alternatively, you may choose to support the general AKU Annual Fund and allow your contribution to be utilised for any university priority.

Whatever your preference may be, the AKU Annual Fund ensures that the full value of your gift is spent during the year, when and where it is needed most.

How much should I give to the AKU Annual Fund?

AKU Annual Fund gifts can range in size from US$ 5 to more than US$ 50,000.

AKU welcomes and needs many smaller gifts that together add up to a significant sum. All gifts are crucial and AKU appreciates gifts of every size.

Leadership gifts start at US$ 1,000, and these donors become members of the giving circle/club and receive special recognition. Our giving clubs are listed below.​​

A donor is invited to join one of these groups and receives special recognition opportunities based on cumulative gifts over the span of one year.

Is it really important to support the AKU Annual Fund every single year?

Yes! In fact, consistent giving is so important that AKU is creating a giving club to honour its most loyal Annual Fund donors. Consistent giving is the cornerstone of the AKU Annual Fund's success. Membership in these giving clubs is renewable annually.

What is the impact of the AKU Annual Fund on the University?

The AKU Annual Fund’s impact can be enormous. It would take the equivalent of more than US$ 200 million in an unrestricted endowment to generate the annual spending power of Annual Funds gifts AKU requires.

How do AKU Annual Fund gifts fit into the University-wide campaign?

Strengthening the AKU Annual Fund is a major priority and a powerful way to contribute to the strength of the University.

In 2013, as part of our US$ 360 million campaign, we announced a two-part goal: the AKU Annual Fund to reach US$ 10 million per year; the second was to sustain this record growth and continue providing AKU’s leaders with a robust and reliable funding source for the University.

Additionally, AKU Annual Fund gifts count toward meeting the overall campaign goal. Even a portion of all donors’ yearly giving, when set aside for the AKU Annual Fund, can provide cumulative, unrestricted power for AKU. As donors make special or designated gifts to different parts of the university, we hope they will consider giving to the AKU Annual Fund as a matching way of supporting the areas dear to them.

Does my gift really matter?

The AKU Annual Fund relies on gifts at all levels to raise the funds that are needed. In fact, 75 per cent of annual gifts to AKU are US$ 250 or less, accounting for several million dollars in support each year. All gifts add up and every contribution, large or small, can make a difference!

Why Annual Support?

While capital and endowment gifts help to build new buildings, establish new programmes, and allow the University to prosper over the long-term, AKU Annual Fund gifts can be put to use immediately to support the education of leaders of tomorrow while also delivering life-saving care the Aga Khan University Hospitals provide daily to their communities.

Gifts of any size to the AKU Annual Fund make a difference, and may be directed to unrestricted support or one of our areas of most pressing need.