UMass Amherst Announces Annual Faculty and Staff Campaign Kickoff

view of campus overlooking pond

AMHERST, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Amherst officially kicked off the 2018-19 Faculty and Staff Campaign on Aug. 27 and it will run through June 30, 2019.

Last year, there were more donors to the Faculty and Staff Campaign than in any previous year. More than $1 million was raised to benefit UMass Amherst by 1,894 staff, faculty, retirees, and their spouses and partners.

“The generosity of faculty and staff in supporting the continued growth and success of the university is a point of pride,” said UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy. “These resources make a vital difference in our ability to flourish as a nationally top-ranked, flagship public research university. The growing philanthropic participation of our faculty and staff also underscores our continued commitment to access and excellence, and the unparalleled role we play in educating the citizens of the commonwealth.”       

The campaign provided resources for 90 scholarship funds and for 70 academic departments across the university. Philanthropy to UMass Amherst is on an upward trajectory. Annual gift commitments have grown from $30.1 million in fiscal 2008 to $50.6 million for the fiscal year 2018. Gift commitment totals include contributions made through the Faculty and Staff Campaign. These totals reflect multi-year gift commitments, and funds that are designated by donors for a specific use such as supporting students, faculty, or a particular program.

Last year, the top allocations supported by donors to the Faculty and Staff Campaign included the Student Care and Emergency Response Fund, the department of athletics’ Minutemen Club and the UMass Amherst Libraries.

A matching-gift program by the university has encouraged both participation and the dollars raised from faculty and staff members. The university has offered $500,000 in matching funds again for the 2018-2019 academic year. Qualifying gifts up to $10,000 from current or retired faculty and staff will be matched $1 for $1 until the matching funds are exhausted.

For more information or to give to the Faculty and Staff Campaign, go to https://umass.scalefunder.com/gday/giving-day/8895.