Fresno State Athletics
Bulldog Foundation Celebrating 50 Years
 |
Jan. 27, 2000
FRESNO, Calif. - Heading into their 50th year of service the Bulldog Foundation has once again had a tremendous fundraising season. As of the first of December the Foundation had raised $7 million in 1999. The Bulldog Foundation has been ranked No. 1 in the nation since 1986 in money raising abilities. Since 1971 the Foundation has raised nearly $46.5 million for scholarships, recruiting needs, and special requests by the athletic department. The Bulldog Foundation has also purchased an additional $30.7 million in season tickets and provided $22.5 million for athletic facility improvements.
The Bulldog Foundation began in 1933 as the "600 Club" where the groups fund raising goal was $600. It was founded to help Fresno State and our vital resources of youth become future leaders in family, community, business, government, arts, education, and athletics. In 1950 the "600 Club" became the Bulldog Foundation, in this year the group raised $10,000. The decision was made in 1950 to incorporate as a non-profit fund raising organization.
In 1972, the decision was made to hire the first full-time, permanent staff to organize an annual fund drive. That year they also decided to offer ticket benefits as part of membership levels. Membership numbers have grown from 843 in 1972 to 6,000 currently. Since 1982 the Bulldog Foundation has been directed by Pat Ogle. In his first year he saw the fund raising efforts jump from $1,175,742 to $2,083,989.
It is not just the dollars put toward athletics that make the Bulldog Foundation important to Fresno State. Research shows a high percentage of members also support other university programs outside athletics. All eight academic schools at Fresno State benefit from the fact that students within those schools are enrolled annually with the help of Bulldog Foundation scholarship monies. Monies donated have also helped initiate nationally recognized student support services in academics, in counseling and treatment, and in fifth year and summer school scholarship programs.
In the current basketball season the 3,562 Bulldog Foundation members represent 8,612 seats at the Selland Arena. Their support of all Bulldog athletics goes well beyond ticket sales. The Foundation provides needed funds to help support the 20 athletic programs and 600 Bulldog student-athletes. The number of Bulldog men and women scholar-athletes receiving some portion of scholarship aid is now more than 450.
Approximately 40 percent of the total funding for Fresno State athletics comes from the Bulldog Foundation. The Foundation covers 100 percent of scholarships and recruiting requests for all 20 Bulldog teams. Of the $7 million raised in 1999, 60 percent of the monies collected fully fund the university request for scholarships ($2,248,355), recruiting ($381,500), and special projects ($518,000).
The Bulldog Foundation met on December 9 to discuss their fundraising goals for their bicentennial year of service. At this meeting the drive to raise membership levels was pushed as well as raising the fundraising goal above $7 million. The spring fund drive was also discussed in which during a five week annual drive, starting in the middle of April, 350 volunteers work to renew former memberships and sign-up new ones.
The Foundation is run by a 70 member Board of Trustees, with eight scheduled meetings a year. There are only five paid staff members, and the annual operational costs average only seven percent of monies collected.
The Bulldog Foundation members are proud of their accomplishments and want to maintain their national leadership. Bulldog Foundation members understand the benefits of integrating a high-quality athletic program with a superior academic program, allowing scholar-athletes to compete and win both in the classroom and on the playing field.