By Jean Peat

Our ability to continue achieving UMKC’s goals is possible only through the steadfast commitment of our donors. Their unwavering generosity has allowed UMKC Foundation to support students, faculty and the community in many new ways this past year.

We are proud – and grateful – to present our Top 10 Accomplishments for 2018. Roo-hoo!

1)      We broke ground on the School of Computing and Engineering’s new $32 million laboratory facility, the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise and Research Center, UMKC’s first building to be funded primarily through private philanthropy from multiple generous donors

2)      More than $41 million in donor contributions was raised to support the university

3)      Nine new endowed scholarships and one new endowed faculty professorship were started at the UMKC Foundation, totaling $750,000

4)      Nearly $50,000 was contributed toward new, immediate-use (non-endowed) scholarships

5)      A $300,000 gift to establish the Hodges Scholarship Fund in Economics and a $4 million estate gift was given by Brent and Bonnie Hodges

6)      Radioactive, the KCUR radio benefit event, drew 900 attendees and raised more than $300,000 in support of KCUR

7)      The amount that our alumni and friends give annually through mailings, on-line and phone calls increased by 25%

8)      A brand new website was launched, offering donors and potential donors with clear giving options, impactful results of their giving, and helpful guidelines

9)      Seventeen planned gifts (donors who have left UMKC Foundation in their estate planning) were made, totaling close to $8.5 million

10)   Henry Bloch celebrated his 96th birthday last July and 96 entrepreneurs donated $96,000 in his honor toward UMKC’s Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation