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FLC Foundation has record fundraising year, bringing in $4.6 million
The Fort Lewis College Foundation ended the fiscal year in June with more than $4.6 million received through gifts, pledges, planned gifts, and gifts-in-kind. This private support assists FLC in providing scholarships, program enhancements, faculty support, and facility improvements.
“The success of the Foundation’s fundraising efforts this year has been very gratifying to me personally and to members of the Foundation Board, and I hope we can replicate that success moving forward,” says Keith Newbold, FLC Foundation Board chair.
In the previous fiscal year, the Foundation brought in $3.3 million. The rise in funding has come from increases in multiple areas, including more FLC alumni supporting their alma mater, gains in cause-related giving from foundations and businesses, and as has long been the case, considerable gifts from those who live in Durango and the Four Corners.
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"The growth in giving reflects the dedication of so many and their shared love of the College. For some it is because they or members of their families attended FLC. Others appreciate the good work of the College and there are those who realize the significance of the role FLC plays in the local community."
Keith Newbold, FLC Foundation Board chair
“I believe the 1,800 donors last year are only the tip of the iceberg," says Newbold. "Through continued outreach by the College and Foundation, I believe that number can be doubled or tripled.”
Highlights from the past fiscal year include:
• A seven-figure gift designated for the new Health Sciences Center construction and renovation project
• $957,000 in scholarships, including 19 new funds
• $135,000 for the new Skyhawk Persistence Fund
• $65,000 for the Solar Spring Break project
• $807,000 earmarked for athletic scholarships, operations, and special projects
• New endowments for undergraduate research
• $411,000 for dozens of campus projects, academics, and activities
• $150,000 for a new sound system in the Community Concert Hall
• $105,000 to assist with the purchase of a river company, which will allow unique academic and student leadership programming
“Thank you to those who are investing in today and the future,” says FLC President Tom Stritikus. “We are honored that so many are entrusting us with their financial support. Every gift, regardless of its amount, makes a big difference here, and we celebrate everyone who made this year so successful.”
Vice President for Advancement Mark Jastorff expects the coming year to be equally successful.
“We’re excited about the future and how it will be shaped through donors’ continued financial support,” says Jastorff. “We have a unique mission as a College, we have relationships with people who care and continue to build new relationships with those who are interested, and we have dynamic leadership and a clear vision outlined in the strategic plan.”
The Health Sciences Center remains top priority for the Foundation and College. As the College pursues capital construction funding from the State of Colorado, the development team will continue to fundraise toward FLC’s $3.2 million goal for the project. Nearly $1.2 million has been received to date.
The menu of opportunities and needs at Fort Lewis College is long and varied. The Foundation is focusing on supporting athletics special projects, the Village Aid Project, the Business Innovation Center, the Skyhawk Persistence Grant, and the Skyhawk Emergency Grant. These programs play critical roles in the student experience and provide unique opportunities for student well-being.
FLC leans on support from alumni, donors, and individuals who believe in investing in the future. Donations made today sustain tomorrow and create an FLC forever. Today’s scholarships, today’s campus infrastructure, today’s academic programs, and today’s research opportunities, are all made possible through individual investments. These contributions ensure FLC will be here for generations of learners.
Become a part of FLC Forever
The FLC Foundation exists solely to encourage, receive, invest, and administer private funds in support of Fort Lewis College’s mission, projects, and initiatives as approved by the FLC Board of Trustees. Founded in 1969, the Foundation Board of Directors manages nearly $27 million in assets. The Foundation offers nearly $1 million annually in scholarships to deserving students, has provided philanthropic funding for capital construction and improvements, and provides funds that develop and enhance the FLC experience for students, faculty, staff, and the region.