GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman Athletics raised $11.8 million during fiscal year 2023-24 to top $10M for a fourth consecutive year under the Furman Athletics Fund, it was announced today by executive senior associate athletics director for development and alumni relations, Erin Wissing.

Since the 2021 rollout of the Furman Athletics Fund model — a donor-centric fundraising model that empowers donors to support the area within Furman Athletics for which they are most passionate —  fundraising for athletics has grown significantly.  Over the last four years, $54.5 million has been raised for athletics – a 185% increase from the previous four years under the former Paladin Club model.

The Furman Athletics Fund supports the championship aspirations of the school's 19 varsity programs and has been critical to equipping the Paladins for sustained success at the highest levels.  Over the past few years, the Paladins have achieved record-breaking national success in the classroom, in competition, and in fan engagement, mirroring the success of Furman's philanthropic efforts and support.

"We are truly grateful for the tremendous growth in charitable giving that we have seen over the past several years," said Jason Donnelly, Furman's vice president for intercollegiate athletics. "As we move forward and continue to serve our university community, Furman Athletics increasingly relies on the generosity of our loyal donors who invest in and impact the lives of our student-athletes. Whether a donor is passionate about scholarships, facilities or specific sports programs, the Furman Athletics Fund facilitates greater impact opportunities that are more comprehensive and better position the department for future growth and success."
Anchoring the success of the last four years included the following accomplishments that have advanced Furman's three philanthropic priorities: endowment, best-in-class facilities, and operating support for our 19 varsity teams:

Funding endowment to secure the future of Furman Athletics with long-term financial sustainability:

• $10.8M was raised for athletics endowment – the majority of which will fund athletics scholarships in perpetuity
• 14 new endowed funds were established, creating permanent funding sources for men's and women's soccer, men's and women's golf, cross country/track & field, and football
• In 2021, Chris and Andrea Borch – consistent philanthropic leaders at Furman – put an exclamation point on the importance of growing athletics endowment by committing $5 million to fund cross country/track and field scholarships.
• In 2024, Furman was able to announce the successful completion of the men's golf scholarship endowment initiative started in 2014. Beginning in 2026, men's golf will now compete at the traditional NCAA limit of 4.5 scholarships – all fully funded by endowment and donor support.

 
Building Best-in-Class Facilities:

• Timmons Arena – a priority in Furman's Clearly Furman campaign – has received significant support from a wide range of donors who have believed in the power of basketball to drive institutional prestige and revenue, while impacting the campus and community experience:
  • More than 200 donors have supported the project, including one eight-figure gift, 11 seven-figure gifts, and 31 six-figure gifts.
  • In 2021, Furman raised $3 million to complete Phase I of the comprehensive Basketball Facility Enhancement project, renovating the men's and women's basketball offices, film rooms, and locker rooms – creating an immediate impact on the student-athlete and coach experience, recruiting, and retention.
  • In 2023, businessman and philanthropist Ravenel B. Curry III '63 contributed $10 million for renovations to Timmons Arena. His gift was the largest in Furman Athletics history and was the cornerstone of a $40 million project.
  • In February 2024, Furman announced the successful completion of a $40 million fundraising effort to complete Phase II of the Basketball Facility Enhancement project, which will completely renovate and expand Timmons Arena.
  • In April 2024, Furman officially broke ground on the Timmons Arena renovation, which is scheduled to open in Fall of 2025.
• In 2022, over $800,000 was raised to fund the new Davis & Faxon Training Facility at the REK for Furman Golf.  This philanthropic effort was led by Cindy Davis (1984) and Brad Faxon (1983).  
• Fundraising has also led to improvements in expanded premium seating and new Field Turf in Paladin Stadium, Irwin Belk Track Complex, Mickel Tennis Center, the varsity weight room, student-athlete locker rooms and other facilities around campus.

 
Driving operating support and donor participation by embracing donors' passions:

• In 2023, Furman achieved its highest ever fundraising marks, securing a historic $19 million in commitments for the Paladins.
• Restricted giving for Furman's 19 varsity teams has seen unprecedented growth, which has been facilitated under the Furman Athletics Fund model. Growth in restricted giving has been more critical than ever to ensuring the competitive success of our programs, as all of Furman's teams depend on fundraising to fund ~40% of their annual operating budgets.
• Athletics has proven to be a consistent leader on Dins Day, Furman University's annual day of giving. On Dins Day 2024:
  • Athletics accounted for 54% of Furman's total donor participation and 60% of Furman's total dollars raised.
  • Of the top ten funds most supported on Dins Day, eight were athletics'. Cross Country/Track & Field led the university in donor participation, followed by Strength & Conditioning (#2), Football (#4), Cheerleading (#5), Men's Basketball (#6), Volleyball (#7), the Paladin Scholarship Fund (#8), and Men's Golf (#10).

"The growth in athletics fundraising at Furman has been extremely rewarding to facilitate," said Wissing. "Donor funding has never been more critical to ensuring the success of our athletics programs and our work is never done. Our donors' growing generosity is a testament to how important and impactful a strong, Division I athletics program is to the Furman experience. We are grateful to the thousands who have contributed, both big and small, to the millions of dollars raised to keep the Paladins positioned for championships."

Furman Athletics is grateful for the generosity of the donors, alumni, and fans whose philanthropy continues to fuel the Paladins to compete at a championship level while providing a first-class student-athlete experience and premier education. Furman Athletics looks forward to continued fundraising success in the years to come and invites all to join as the Paladins charge ahead.

For those interested in supporting Furman Athletics, please visit FurmanPaladins.com to contribute and help the Paladins achieve our goals.