x
Breaking News
More () »

UCA smashes annual fundraising record, attributes success to donations, Day of Giving

UCA's endowment stood at $27,877,726 entering the new school year, while the net assets of the UCA Foundation surpassed $50 million for the first time.

CONWAY, Ark. (KTHV) - When University of Central Arkansas students return to campus in two weeks, they will find a university that can support them like never before. That's because UCA smashed its records for fundraising during the last year.

UCA reported raising $10,252,463 for the 2017-18 fiscal year.

“I never thought that we would get there this quickly,” said Kale Gober, UCA’s Vice President for University Advancement. “I think that it’s a testament to the excitement that our donors have, not only for our rich history but where we’re headed. I think that it shows an excitement about our new leadership under President Davis."

Gober said the previous all-time high at UCA was $7.4 million.

"To blow past that and reach $10 million is a feat that -- we understand how difficult it is, and now we’ve gotta figure out how to replicate that," he said.

Gober said his office had set a goal of raising $6.5 million for the entire year, which was achieved before Christmas.

“At that point, we had to re-establish a goal,” he said. “And then we settled on a little bit higher. And ultimately, when you get close enough to $10 million, you may as well blow by it!”

Included in the record-setting year were four gifts of $1 million or more, which was also a record. Those are hard to count on, and some of last year’s donations were the result of planned gifts that were contributed once the donor passed away. Gober still sees a reason for optimism.

“I think the beauty of it is, if you took away half of the seven-figure gifts, we still would’ve had the best fundraising that we’d ever had,” he said. “To me, that not only shows that we have depth in our alumni base but also breadth. We have more people investing in UCA, and that shows that they’re buying into the excitement of the new leadership.”

One of those million-dollar gifts endowed a scholarship in the name of Arch Ford, an alum who was the state’s education commissioner for 25 years.

“And that scholarship is geared toward helping in-state, first-generation, Pell-eligible Arkansans. That is a testament to who UCA has been for over 100 years and who we continue to be," Gober said.

Part of UCA’s success comes from listening more closely to its donors and giving them more options. For example, in 2017, UCA made $41,501 from its annual Day of Giving, a day-long, intensive fundraising campaign. This spring, it brought in $434,526. Gober said part of the difference came from increasing the number of fund options to which donors could contribute.

“That was just another testament to, whenever you give the donor the opportunity to make an impact where they want to make an impact, you’re gonna raise so much more money. I think that that was a big key to getting to $10 million,” he said.

While options may lead to dollars and led to a record-breaking year, Gober said one focus remains above all others.

“The endowment is always going to be the number one priority for us. That’s the backbone of a university. That is sustainability. It covers all 11,000 students and all 1,100 faculty and staff at UCA,” he said.

Gober said he and his staff will have to make million-dollar donations a more common occurrence if they are to repeat this historic year, but he thinks an increase in the overall number of donors and an increase in those giving $1,000 and up will sustain the university’s fundraising.

“The great thing is the donors who supported last year’s efforts become our story for next year,” he said. “Because people want to be a part of success. They want to be a part of breaking records. And so, once they see the difference that was made this year—$10 million—they’ll want to be a part of that impact, and that will be part of the road to making $10 million, what was the exception, making that the rule.”

UCA’s endowment stood at $27,877,726 entering the new school year, while the net assets of the UCA Foundation surpassed $50 million for the first time.

Gober sees the excitement bleeding into UCA’s enrollment, as well.

“We’ve had the pedal to the metal for admissions and enrollment management over the past couple of months,” he said. “And I think that we’re going to welcome one of the largest freshman classes that we’ve had in a long time, and the most-qualified freshman class.”

Gober said the goal for this year is to raise a little under $9 million. He said part of the reasoning for setting a lower number is to make sure the goal is achievable.

“I also love that feeling, mid-year, of whenever you’ve hit your goal and then you feel like everything you get your second half of the year is gravy,” Gober said. “So, it was a fun day. I want to relive that day again this year.”

Gober encourages anyone who is interested in donating to either visit UCA’s website or call the UCA Foundation at 501-450-5288.

“Everything we do is about the students that walk UCA’s campus,” he stated, “and if there’s anybody who wants to support Arkansans who are trying to get an education, UCA is a great place to invest your dollars.”

Before You Leave, Check This Out