Cal Poly is only $60 million away from its $700 million fundraising campaign goal.
The university has raised over $642 million dollars toward The Power of Doing campaign from over 70,000 donors, according to Vice President of Development and Cal Poly Foundation CEO Matthew Ewing. He said the university hopes to reach or exceed the $700 million goal by June 2021.
“We closed out that fiscal year in June with $117 million dollars which is the second highest total fundraising productivity in university history,” Ewing said. “What’s really positive for us is for the first time in the last six or seven years we saw an increase in our total number of donors and total number of gifts.”
The campaign’s goal is to enhance student success through its three pillars: empowering students, empowering excellence and empowering innovation.
“To date, the $204 million has been raised toward the empowering excellence pillar, over $230 million dollars toward empowering innovation, and empowering students, over $204 million dollars,” Ewing said.
Money raised will go towards a variety of university priorities, including state-of-the-art facilities, student-faculty research and more project-based learning opportunities. Funds will also increase scholarship opportunities, including the Cal Poly Scholars Program. Cal Poly Scholars recruits high-achieving, low-income students from California high schools by providing financial assistance and resources to help them succeed.
The Kennedy Library project, as well as the William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation, which broke ground May 3, are still two of the top building priorities of the campaign.
One donor-funded project in particular is providing students opportunities for athletic success as well as academic.
“The new beach volleyball complex behind Mott Athletic Center for the Women’s Beach Volleyball Team is fantastic … our supporters really got behind it because of what they were seeing from the student-athletes,” Ewing said. “The fact that they can now cut down on travel time allows for more academic success.”
Ewing says that he hopes the campaign will spark a culture of giving throughout the Cal Poly community. The effort around the campaign as well as all of the university’s work is “centered around a long-term model.”
“Our goal is to raise money and build relationships with individuals,” Ewing said. “You know, not just a snapshot, quick, one-time gift and then move on, but for their entire lifetime.”