IRVINE – UC Irvine received a record-breaking $527 million in funding in fiscal year 2015-16 – up from the $358 million for the previous year, the campus reported on Wednesday.

The boost in funding will help cover such new additions as a nursing school and a facility for students to study health sciences and clinical trials for new lung cancer treatments.

Brian Hervey, vice chancellor for university advancement, said a banner year in fundraising “increases the visibility of the university to new potential donors,” a necessity after UCI revealed a 10-year strategic plan proposing an increase in students, faculty and academic programs.

“(And that plan as well) attracted major donors who wanted to have a transformational impact on the university,” Hervey said.

Recently listed by U.S. News & World Report as one of the country’s 10 best public universities, UCI received $395 million in grants and contracts and $132.5 million in gifts – both school records.

Recipients of donations or grants include UCI’s Institute of Transportation Studies, the Department of Physics & Astronomy, and the Civil Justice Research Institute.

The $40 million Orange County philanthropists Sue and Bill Gross donated was the largest private gift in school history – funds that will be used to establish the nursing school and accompanying health science facility.

UCI also received $60 million from charitable foundations.

“It’s an exciting time to be at UCI … and it’s just the start,” Hervey said. “We want to keep growing from here.”

Contact the writer: 714-796-7724 or bwhitehead@ocregister.com