CSU fundraising in high gear

FORT COLLINS – What was once a mind-boggling fundraising goal of half a billion dollars for Colorado State University’s first campus-wide campaign is looking more like a sure thing.

But that’s not slowing down fundraisers as they face the possibility of another recession in the months ahead.

The seven-year campaign that kicked off in 2005 with a “quiet phase” and little publicity passed the $436 million mark as of Sept. 12, raising more than $11 million in just the last two months.

Campaign fundraisers say they owe the ongoing success of the campaign to CSU’s loyal alumni, friends and supporters.

“I think we owe it to our wonderful donors,’ said Brett Anderson, CSU’s vice president of advancement. “We’ve got some very passionate and loyal alumni and friends. And we’ve got a great university with a great story to tell, whether it’s cancer research or energy. It’s such a broad spectrum.”

Indeed, CSU has attained a reputation of being among the top research universities in the nation, last year attracting a record $330.8 million for research projects.

Anderson said some colleges have already met their fundraising goals as donors specifically target them.

“We want our donors to be able to say where they want their money to go, which is absolutely the most important thing,” he said.

The Campaign for Colorado State University’s individual college and unit goals are listed on the university’s website at www.campaign.colostate.edu/cas.aspx.
Going 110 percent: Anderson said colleges that have met their goals include Engineering, Veterinary Medicine and Agricultural Sciences.

“But they’re not stopping,” he said. “They’re still going 110 percent. We’re all shooting to hit our goals and it gives the remaining ones the incentive to keep going.”

Anderson said he has no doubt the $500 million campus goal will be reached.

“We’re confident we’re going to make it,” he said. “We’ve got some very significant gifts that are being finalized, and we’re confident we’ll meet that goal by June or earlier.”

Anderson said he expected an announcement of “one significant gift” will be made within the next 30 to 60 days, with others to follow as the June date approaches.

Dave Edwards, a 1972 CSU graduate and a member of the 18-person Campaign Leadership Council with his wife, Paula, said he thinks the campaign’s success has rested on telling the university’s story in a way it’s never been told before.

“I think it’s because Colorado State University has always been an excellent institution but didn’t know how to tell its story,” he said. “Through this campaign, we’ve learned how to tell that story.

“CSU has a long history of being fairly humble, maybe due to its land-grant roots. This capital campaign has shown CSU how to sell itself,” he added.
Just giving back: Donors have come forward with gifts both large and small. For example, Engineering alum Walter Scott and his wife, Suzanne, committed $10 million to help build a new engineering building. Closer to the other end of the giving spectrum are longtime former CSU employees John and Jennifer Kutzik, who have donated to CSU every month for 28 years. That’s added up to more than $11,000.

Jennifer Kutzik said their donations started through a payroll deduction program that they never stopped.

“We certainly couldn’t come up with anything like $1 million or more,” she said. “I kept telling the development officer it’s such a pitiful amount, but they said no, no, it isn’t.

“I guess it’s like the formation of the Grand Canyon,” she said. “Over time, those little things really do add up. We’re just giving back, that’s all.”

Anderson said it’s that kind of attitude that’s making the campaign a success.

“So often you only hear of the $5 million, $10 million or $20 million gift, and that’s wonderful,” he said. “But folks like the Kutziks are the backbone of what makes us successful. It’s not the amount of the donation but the fact that we’re connecting with the community. They’re all important.”

Making it affordable: Anderson said it’s not just new buildings and equipment and endowed chairs and faculty positions that drives the campaign. It’s also about keeping CSU affordable and accessible to all, he said.

Anderson noted that CSU now only receives about 10 percent of its budget from the state. This fall, CSU raised its in-state tuition by 20 percent to help cope with dwindling state funding.

“It’s a sad statement, but we understand it and we’re going to keep this a world-class institution,” he said. “We’ve got to keep it an affordable place for our students, and that’s why private fundraising is so very important.”

A significant portion of each college’s fundraising goal is targeted toward scholarships and increasing academic excellence.

“We are very committed at CSU to access and making sure people with the drive and ability can come to CSU and not just people of a certain economic strata,” Anderson said.

Like Anderson, Edwards said he also believes the $500 million goal will be reached if not surpassed.

“There’s nothing like momentum and establishing a goal and having it in your sights,” he said. “When you reach a certain benchmark, you’ve got enough critical mass to push it over the top.”

That momentum was very much on display in July when CSU announced private support was up 47 percent in the fiscal year that ended June 30, with $85 million raised.

Anderson said the prospect of a second recession is worrisome but won’t hold back the campaign.

“We know how tight times are right now and we know we can never take it for granted,” he said. “It is a risk and it does concern us, but we have confidence that our loyal Rams, fans and friends will support us.”