UMass Amherst News Office
February 11, 2003
AMHERST, Mass. - Chancellor John V. Lombardi announced the
creation of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Foundation,
a private, non-profit corporation established to raise private
funds for the UMass Amherst campus. Lombardi also named the
officers and members of the foundation's Board of Directors.
Lombardi said: "In its last capital campaign, UMass
Amherst demonstrated its capacity to raise significant funds.
The success of that campaign indicates the campus has the
ability to participate at a higher level of private fund-raising,
and that we can build on that earlier success. The UMass Amherst
Foundation is the vehicle to accomplish that goal.
"The foundation is a mechanism for harnessing the support
of volunteers," Lombardi said. "Private donors and
volunteers tend to be 'campus-specific' in offering support.
Their enthusiasm is generated by their respect for faculty
and students. The foundation is a way for us to capture that
enthusiasm and mobilize volunteer leadership in support of
the campus."
The endowment for the UMass Amherst Foundation presently
totals $56.5 million. Lombardi said all funds raised by the
campus foundation would be spent at UMass Amherst. The campus
foundation will maintain an account with the system-wide University
of Massachusetts Foundation, which will in turn act as the
campus's "investment banker."
Lombardi explained that while the foundation will have a
small staff, the "fund-raising enterprise" will
remain a part of the University, though the structure of the
foundation will allow for a connection between the two. The
foundation initially will employ one major gifts officer,
whose responsibility will be to cultivate major donors for
significant gifts to the campus. As fund-raising efforts become
more successful, Lombardi said, the number of major gifts
officers will increase, with up to five on board within the
next three years.
Further, Lombardi said 14 development officers will remain
attached to each of the University's 10 schools and colleges,
the athletic department, University Libraries, and the Fine
Arts Center, with the potential of an additional 14 to be
hired within the next several years. Those individuals remain
employees of the University. Any additional positions will
be filled using existing funds from within the development
operation. The approximately 30 staff members who provide
support services for development such as research and gifts
processing will also remain employees of the University.
"As fund-raising increases," Lombardi said, "the
size of the foundation and the development operation will
increase. The University employee base will grow as the endowment
grows."
Elizabeth Dale, as vice chancellor for University Advancement
and executive director of the foundation, will oversee development
and alumni affairs. She will also be responsible for the operations
of the foundation, including establishing the corporation
and working with its Board of Directors, managing staff, instituting
policies and procedures, and facilitating the links between
the foundation and the University..
Creation of the foundation, said Lombardi, is part of the
initiation of the campus's second capital campaign. "Former
Chancellor David Scott launched the campus on its current
path with the success of Campaign UMass. He created the belief
that the campus could establish a culture of giving. Now we
need to build on that success. As we operate on a higher level,
it will take a more professional approach, and more careful
planning to do so. We will be working with the foundation
board in the coming months to map out a strategy for the next
campaign.
"President Bulger has been highly supportive of our
efforts, and from the beginning signaled his intention to
lend his support in establishing a UMass Amherst Foundation.
We also have the strong support of Grace Fey and the entire
UMass Board of Trustees.
"The membership of the foundation board is a diverse
group of individuals who have demonstrated their interest
in the University and contributed their support in many ways.
I look forward to working with them on behalf of UMass Amherst,"
Lombardi said.
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