Campus director Julie Rudner said the institution is well on its way to an ambitious 2027 goal of $200 million as part of the next stage of the Make the Difference campaign, which has contributed more than $16.7 million to La Trobe's four regional campuses since it began in 2017.

"It gets more of our students in the door, and it creates many opportunities for all of our regional campuses," Dr Rudner said.

"This money can be used for either paying fees or to pay for equipment needed for certain professions like dentistry or nursing.

"It also might go toward living expenses so rent, food, housing, whichever it is depending on the type of grant that students might receive through a philanthropic endowment."

Dr Rudner said the funds could also be used for projects for current academic staff, or it could provide PhD scholarships or money for higher postdoctoral research. She said research that happens on campus in Bendigo, for example the Holsworth Biomedical Research Initiative, had international application.

"In this particular instance, it's about understanding disease pathways from the level of DNA and it draws in the best in the field to the city of Greater Bendigo," she said.

"The research that we do might be highly theoretical, in which case our research translators then make sure that the impacts ripple out across our communities and around the world.

"It might also be for people doing research here in Bendigo on matters that help decision makers in terms of what they do and how they do it.

"That might apply to researching industrial engineering, advanced manufacturing, urban regional planning."

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The cultural life of the university is another area that benefits from community generosity, and one example is former Australian ambassador to China Geoff Raby's donation of his collection of Chinese art works.

"We'll be able to show them in Bendigo and we will be doing so through the Bendigo Art Gallery from August 20," Dr Rudner said.

"This artwork is incredibly important for understanding our connections to the world around us and also giving us some sort of understanding of who we are as a society.

"So although that money doesn't go directly to research or learning, it still contributes to us and our understanding, not only as a city, but as a nation."

Dr Rudner said people often mistakenly believed they needed to be rich to donate but there were options for everyone from community members, alumni and those with a keen interest in education and research to the wealthier donors.

La Trobe vice chancellor John Dewar AO said the Bendigo community has been vital in supporting the University's most impactful research - as well as breaking down financial barriers for many students.

"Support from donors such as Dr William and Mrs Carol Holsworth, for example, has enabled vital research into the causes of cancer and neurodegenerative conditions - as well as health and nutrition, exercise science and rehabilitation," Dr Dewar said.

"World-class research on our Bendigo campus not only influences health policy and practice in Australia, but has far-reaching impacts around the world - all made possible by the University's generous donor community."

Head of Rural Allied Health in Bendigo, associate professor Brett Gordon, said the Holsworth Research Initiative is focussed on tackling concerning rates of insufficient physical activity leading to chronic disease.

"Research from the Active Rural Individuals stream of the Holsworth Research Initiative is focussed on helping people safely and effectively manage health conditions through exercise, and examines the best way to conduct aerobic and resistance training," Mr Gordon said.

"We know that resistance training is important for maintaining health and preventing disease, but our new research looks at how much and how intensively people should do this kind of exercise to get the greatest overall benefit."

In addition to significant funding for the Holsworth Research Initiative and Holsworth Student Grants and Geoff Raby's collection valued at $3.1 million, some of Bendigo's key gifts have included:

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