UMass Boston posts record-breaking fundraising year in fiscal 2019

UMass Boston raised $23.8 million in fiscal year 2019, setting a new annual record for fundraising in the university’s 55-year history. The previous record was $17.6 million.

The fundraising total more than doubled the $10.5 million campus goal set by the UMass System and nearly tripled the amount raised in fiscal year 2018. UMass Boston this past year also completed its $100 million fundraising campaign, Just Imagine, which raised $114.6 million and was the most ambitious campaign in the university’s history.

“We are immensely grateful for the support that individual donors and nonprofit foundations have shown for UMass Boston,” said Interim Chancellor Katherine Newman.  “Their financial support is indicative of the passion they feel for the university’s mission to open opportunities for first-generation college students and support the research ambitions of our remarkable faculty. Hats off to our new Vice Chancellor for Advancement, Adam Wise, who has led the way toward this record-breaking achievement.”

Gifts and pledges across the campus included several large commitments:

  • A $5 million commitment from New Balance to establish the Keith Motley Professorship in Sports Leadership and a corresponding scholarship endowment.
  • A $5 million pledge from Wipro Technologies to fund the Science Education Fellowship Program at UMass Boston, which provides training and professional development for K-12 science teachers.
  • A $3.2 million commitment from an alumna, which will be formally announced in September.
  • A $1.05 million pledge from the Barr Foundation to support UMass Boston’s Sustainable Solutions Lab’s climate resilience efforts.
  • A $1 million donation from Robert and Diane Hildreth to the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy focused on advancing our Latinx student college success.

The year’s fundraising also created 13 new endowments including one endowed professorship and 12 endowed scholarships.

“Our record-setting results both in terms of campus-wide achievement this fiscal year coupled with the topping of our comprehensive campaign goal were only attainable by the countless partnerships formed across the campus and with the generous investments made by alumni, parents, and friends of UMass Boston,” said Vice Chancellor Wise.

In recent years UMass Boston has been working to strengthen its culture of giving to support university operations, recruit outstanding faculty, and attract students with enhanced scholarship opportunities. Over the past year Newman has traveled to key cities across the country to meet one-on-one with alumni and donor prospects, rekindling ongoing relationships and generating new ones.

The university has also reorganized its Division of University Advancement and established the Office of Alumni Engagement (previously Alumni Relations) to enhance interactions with alumni, parents, and friends. This past year UMass Boston’s Celebration of Philanthropy in October attracted more than 200 donors, and the April Celebration of Support attracted 195 donors, establishing high-water marks for these annual events.