Sixth consecutive time raising more than $10 million in single year
The University of Central Arkansas raised $20.2 million for the fiscal year 2023, marking the sixth consecutive year the university has outpaced its fundraising goals and the $10 million threshold.
Additionally, the UCA Foundation’s endowment has grown to more than $52 million, nearly double the total endowment since fiscal year 2018. Since the UCA Foundation’s inception, more than $19.3 million in private scholarships have been awarded.
UCA President Houston Davis
“UCA has always had a strong base of support from our alumni, friends, students, faculty, staff and community, and we are thankful for the continued commitment to the campus,” said UCA President Houston Davis. “Even as we have navigated through a global pandemic and a changing economy, our donors have recognized the work that we are doing to change students’ lives, and they want to be a part of that success.”
More than 6,800 donors made gifts throughout the last year with more than 1,200 of those donors being new. Over half of UCA faculty and staff made contributions this year for a total of almost $700,000. Additionally, 735 households and organizations gave $1,000 or more as members of the President’s Society.
UCA’s ninth annual Day of Giving in March was a major contributor to the year’s success. Nearly 2,000 donors from 32 states and 80 countries contributed nearly $1.3 million in a single day. This one-day total broke the UCA record from 2020 when the university raised more than $1.1 million on Day of Giving.
Nearly $4 million of this year’s total was planned gifts, which are donations made through an estate plan such as bequests, charitable trusts or annuities. Mary Lackie Bane, vice president for University Advancement, said the university’s focus on educating donors through the Office of Legacy Planning will pay dividends in the future.
“Legacy planning is an important tool for helping alumni and friends achieve their dreams of supporting the university,” she said. “Donors can leave their legacy at UCA through different kinds of estate gifts or life insurance policies that are larger and more impactful than they ever thought possible.”
Another area of significant growth is within the UCA Alumni Association. That organization had 2,285 members last year with 992 life members, an 8% increase over the previous year.
This is the seventh year of UCA Now: Impact Arkansas and Beyond, UCA’s $100 million fundraising campaign. To contribute to the campaign, visit uca.edu/now/.
Media contact: Fredricka Sharkey, fsharkey@uca.edu
