The 2013 total exceeded the five-year average of $155.4 million and includes restricted gifts to the endowment as well as annual gifts from alumni, parents and friends of Dartmouth. These donations compose 35 percent of the overall operating budget.
Sylvia Racca, executive director of the Dartmouth College Fund, attributed the increase to new marketing efforts and alumni enthusiasm toward College President Phil Hanlon.
Racca said the overall decline in donations can be traced to the end of the seven-year Campaign for the Dartmouth Experience, which encouraged alumni to make five-year donation commitments and ended in 2009.
Hector Del Real '15, who worked for GreenCorps, the student solicitor branch of the Dartmouth College Fund, said Dartmouth's recent media attention could also increase donations, helping student solicitors start conversations with alumni.
The Dartmouth College Fund raised a record $4.5 million through the Parents and Grandparents Fund, higher than last year's $3.7 million. Money donated through the Dartmouth College Fund supports academics, athletics, research, outdoor activities, foreign study programs and financial aid.
The Tuck School of Business raised $6.3 million, breaking Tuck's previous record of $5.8 million, set in 2008. Tuck boasts a 70.5 percent alumni participation rate, the highest in the nation.
With donations from 30.3 percent of alumni, the Thayer School of Engineering received a record $1.2 million, up from last year's $1.1 million. The Geisel School of Medicine raised almost $878,000 from 31 percent of its alumni, breaking last year's record of $736,000.
The Class of 1988 had the highest alumni participation rate through the Dartmouth College Fund, with donations from 79.1 percent of its members. The Class of 1954 followed with 78.6 percent participation.
The Class of 1988, which recently celebrated its 25th reunion, set a new record among 25th reunion participation rates for the Ivy League with their donations.
Though 2013 is not a reunion year for the Class of 1954, Racca said the class has dedicated volunteer leadership that accounts for high giving rates.
Bill Daniel '78, co-head agent for his class, said the high donations are the result of the class's wealth and commitment to the College.
Barbara Southwell '78, another co-head agent, said the donations reflected a fundraising effort to celebrate the class's 35th reunion.
"We had a year-long effort to get classmates to return to the 35th reunion, with the goal of increasing participation," she said.
Dartmouth has the second-largest annual fund gifts spent the year they are received and not restricted for the endowment and the second-highest alumni donation participation rate in the Ivy League, trailing behind Princeton in each case.
Because of this, Southwell said the class tries to top donations made by Princeton University's Class of 1978.
Though Daniel said interest in Hanlon may have increased donations, his fundraising efforts were geared toward underscoring the importance of supporting the College and its students, not emphasizing new leadership.
Princeton also saw increased alumni participation and raised $57 million for the 2013 fiscal year, slightly less than the $57.2 million raised last year. About 61 percent of undergraduate alumni donated, along with a record number of graduate alumni.
Other Ivy League schools have yet to release 2013 results.
