Colleges typically want to see a year of funding to issue the I-20 (required for obtaining a student visa)
But the visa is issued by the State Department and they typically also want to see credible proof of funding for all four years. Ultimately, it’s the consular officer at the consulate or embassy who makes the determination on whether or not to grant the student visa.
To the best of my knowledge, gifts do count as long as they are real, documented and credible.