UF Fundraising Efforts Garnering International Attention

Thanks to many generous donors, and the work of numerous volunteers, University of Findlay is being internationally recognized for its remarkable fundraising efforts that support students’ educational endeavors. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), a global association for advancement professionals, recently named the University as a 2019 Educational Fundraising Award recipient.

CASE’s annual Educational Fundraising Awards recognize exemplary development programs based on a blind review of institutional data voluntarily submitted to CASE during the past three years. UF was specifically recognized for significant program growth that is reflected in areas such as increase in total amount of major and planned gifts raised, growth in number of donors, alumni giving participation, and increased engagement with alumni and volunteers.

Unique fundraising ideas that have focused on creating a culture of giving that is more meaningful, individualistic, and fun are enjoying positive results, all to students’ benefit.

“We are deeply honored to be recognized for our fundraising efforts, and have accepted the award on behalf of our wonderful benefactors,” said Marcia Latta, Ed.D., vice president for University Advancement. “The support and involvement we have received in recent years to provide educational opportunities for our students, as well as support for other areas such as athletics, the arts, and even our animal population, has been phenomenal. We are truly blessed to have such strong campus-wide backing, along with increased donor engagement from near and far.”

This marks the first time UF has received a CASE Educational Fundraising Award. Among more than 5,000 award-eligible institution, only 44 other colleges and universities in the nation were recipients of the Most Improved Fundraising Program Award.

Successful UF fundraising initiatives:

• Major gift fundraising – The total cash raised from individual commitments, and corporate and foundational support, increased by 68%. Also, major gifts have contributed to a 13% increase in UF’s endowment market value.
• Planned giving – The average gift size increased by 44%.
• Day of Giving – The 2019 “Oiler Up, Give Back” campaign that took place in March during a 24-hour period raised $100,565. A total of 584 gifts were collected. The effort far surpassed the 2018 Day of Giving, which raised $28,698.
• 100% Oilers – A total of 86.7% of UF faculty and staff participated in the 2017-18 employee giving campaign, which speaks to the level of commitment and confidence toward the institution. Employee giving remains strong this year, with 79% participation thus far.
• Graduating Class Philanthropy Honor Cord Program – This year, 247 financial gifts were made, and 225 philanthropy cords were earned and worn during commencement. A total of $5,077 was raised to create a scholarship for a College of Education student with financial need. During the previous academic year, 202 financial gifts were provided totaling $4,200, and 186 graduating seniors wore cords.

To find out how you can financially help University of Findlay students realize their academic dreams, visit give.findlay.edu.