Changing the world with a giving heart
The UTC Advancement team was honored as the 2025 recipient of the Excellence in Fundraising award from the AFP (Association for Fundraising Professionals) TN, Southeastern Chapter.
This award is presented to a non-profit organization in the Chattanooga area that has demonstrated philanthropic growth over the past three fiscal years. Organizations can win this award every five years.
For FY24, UTC had a record-breaking fundraising year with over $60 million raised from more than 6,750 donors, a 330% increase from the dollars raised the previous year. Compared to FY22’s fundraising total of over $10.2 million, that represents a 488% increase in just two years. FY24’s donor count also increased – 6,762 donors was a 10% increase from the previous year. These gifts spanned planned giving, philanthropic e-commerce, online giving, event-based fundraising, and more. Momentum continued into FY25 with UTC securing $31.9 million from 7,086 donors, marking the largest fundraising year outside of extraordinary Rollins family gifts, alongside record donor counts and alumni engagement.
Among the initiatives driving this success are Mocs Give Day 2024, which raised nearly $3 million from more than 2,200 donors, including almost 700 first-time givers. The GoFundMocs crowdfunding platform advanced peer-to-peer fundraising through campaigns such as the Marching Mocs trip to London’s New Year’s Day Parade and the “All Aboard” initiative in support of UTC Women’s Athletics. The Advancement team also transformed donor stewardship by redesigning annual and endowment reports into digital, donor-centered formats that highlight impact and transparency.
Beyond dollars raised, Advancement has expanded alumni engagement to record levels. In FY25, alumni engagement reached 54,441, representing a 10.6 percent increase from the prior year. This growth reflects a culture of creativity, collaboration, and evaluation that has broadened UTC’s philanthropic pipeline while deepening connections across the Chattanooga community.
“Our local chapter of AFP celebrates the dedication of individuals and organizations that drive positive change and foster a culture of giving and service,” says Aggie Stephenson, President of the AFP Southeast, TN chapter.
National Philantrophy Day Award Winner – UTC Advancement
Learn more from the UTC Advancement team about how we are building connections and inspiring generosity for the Chattanooga’s University.
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To see all the 2025 recipients, click here.
