The University of Central Arkansas Division of Advancement raised a total of $6,118,323.17 during the 2016-2017 fiscal year exceeding the goal of $6 million, making this the third-best fundraising year to date.
“I am very proud of our development team,” stated Joycelin Randle, executive director of Development. “We were not fully staffed until November, yet every team member solicited and closed a major gift. We also increased our Day of Giving success and revitalized faculty and staff giving through the Torchbearers Campaign, both of which had a hand in these end results.”
More than 10,600 gifts from over 4,200 donors were recorded this past fiscal year, which included payroll deduction, in-house credit card payments, pledge payments and direct mail responses. Of those 10,600 gifts, 3,637 were online transactions totaling $363,867.
“As excited as I am about surpassing a lofty goal, I can’t explain the pride I have in the work ethic shown by our team. The external staff focused on getting out and seeing our constituents, and together they totaled more than 600 visits throughout the year,” said Kale Gober, vice president of University Advancement.
The UCA Alumni Association, an interdependent unit that operates under the Division of Advancement, surpassed its revenue goal of $110,000 by 22 percent. A large part of its success was due to a 9 percent growth in membership and a highly successful Homecoming Week.
Gober continued, “If we continue to focus on activity and external engagement, I have no doubt that our talented team will continue to raise funds for student and faculty support from the incredible supporters of UCA.”
The UCA Foundation’s net assets and endowment now exceed $43.6 and $25.2 million, respectively.
The fundraising goal for the 2017-2018 fiscal year is $6.5 million.