Sustainable Excellence Initiative Enters Public Phase

BOULDER — In December 2013, the University of Colorado's Board of Regents voted unanimously for athletic director Rick George to proceed with plans to begin a comprehensive Athletic Complex Expansion … provided one-third of the estimated cost of the three-phase project was raised.

George and CU's longstanding athletic fundraising arm, the Buff Club, with the help of several head coaches then canvassed Colorado and the nation for a year, soliciting private and corporate support for the most aggressive project the athletic department has ever undertaken.

The one-third goal of the original $143 million projected expense was achieved last spring and ground was broken on May 12; but the private phase of the fundraising marched on. Athletic and university officials worked behind the scenes in a united front to further develop CU's Sustainable Excellence Initiative (SEI), a key element in the university-wide "Be Boulder" campaign.

Less than two years after the first documented contribution, the private phase has secured $72,425,278, which includes both philanthropic gifts and strategic corporate sponsorships.

And now, the public phase begins: The Drive For $105 Million.

CU's initiative is among the largest capital construction ventures in terms of square footage in the nation: 337,000 square feet, plus an additional 38,000 of renovations in the Dal Ward Athletic Center and Folsom Field. As with any undertaking of this magnitude, there is a normal progression from a private phase to a public one, and it is now time to take the SEI "global" – a comprehensive, coordinated effort to ensure that all Colorado Buffalo fans know exactly what CU is doing for its student-athletes and how they can support the program.

"This is a bold initiative that builds on Rick George's success in fundraising and enables our fans to invest directly in new facilities to transform the Athletic program and the CU Buffs," said Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano.

Stating publicly that the next goal in the SEI is to increase the total from what has been procured to date to $105 million is ambitious, but one that George feels is obtainable.

"We fully intend to hit this target and exceed it, but $105 million is a bold next step," George said. "The sooner we complete the drive for $105 million, the sooner we can turn our focus to the next set of priorities for our student-athletes."

The target is to raise $85 million in capital funding and $20 million in endowment funding and future expectancies, including bequest intentions, through several approaches, including events throughout the country. No donation is too small, as George has stated, "Every gift gets us closer to the finish line."

To date, over 1,200 gifts have been made to the SEI – from over 800 donors – meaning many have already made multiple contributions. Approximately 700 donors have given amounts of $10,000 or less, and these gifts alone have amounted to nearly $500,000, enough to renovate the locker rooms for all of CU's Olympic sport programs.

As the SEI enters its public phase, CU will be developing new and original opportunities for anyone that is interested in making a gift, and to be recognized for their generosity. The department plans to highlight the initiative through a greater web and social media presence, with the ultimate goal to cultivate a sense of ownership among all those who consider themselves Colorado Buffaloes.

"Our goal is that no Buff fan will be able to say that they do not know what we are doing or how they can support us," George added.

The endowment goal is an especially critical component to the overall mission of attaining sustainable excellence, as it will provide a long term income stream for the department. While always included in the SEI as a core element of the overall vision, until now it has been less broadly promoted due to the urgency to hit the key benchmarks related to capital funding.

To help finish the project, CU has enlisted two alumni with life-long Boulder roots, Ariel and Kristen Solomon, who accepted George's request to serve as co-chairs of the SEI.

Ariel (class of '92), is a Boulder High School graduate who lettered for the Buffaloes in football, playing offensive left tackle on CU's 1990 national championship team; he was a member of two Big Eight Conference champion teams as well before being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1991 NFL Draft. He went on to play seven years in the professional ranks and is currently the Managing Partner at Premier Mortgage Group in Boulder.

Kristen, a Fairview High School alumna, also stayed home in attending CU and is a realtor with Wright Kingdom Real Estate in Boulder. She currently serves on the board of directors for Boulder County's I Have A Dream Foundation.

The Solomons have been generous with their time (Ariel is also on the athletic strategic planning team), leadership and personal finances, as they have established the Solomon Family Scholarship Endowment Fund.

Colorado University Athletics

Sustainable Excellence Initiative Enters Public Phase

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