II. FY25 Fundraising Update and FY26 Progress and Goal: Colleen Sisneros
• Overview of FY25
• YTD Progress and Pipeline Review
• FY26 Proposed Goal
III. Arts and Sciences Fund and GiveUNC Update: Anna Peterson
• FY26 Arts and Sciences Fund Progress and Goal
• GiveUNC Engagement Opportunities and Spring Date – March 26
IV. Campaign Update: Colleen Sisneros and Meredith Tunney
• Recap of Campaign Planning and Timeline
• Campaign Messaging: CAS Elevator Pitch Exercise
V. Dean's Office Communications Update: Natalie Vizuete
VI. Donor Relations and Arts and Sciences Foundation Communications Update: Meredith Tunney
• Final push – Celebrating 50 Years of Philanthropy in the College
• Electronic Stewardship Reporting Launch
VII. Former Director’s Engagement Committee Update: Dory Clark and Rita Hanes
VIII. Dean’s Arts and Sciences Leadership Council Update: Colleen Sisneros
IX. Recap and Close: Jennifer Rich
Arts and Sciences Foundation Commitments by Quarter FY15 To FY26
22 September 2025
Celebrating 50 YEARS OF PHILANTHROPY
In 1975, the Arts and Sciences Foundation was created with a mission to enhance the College of Arts and Sciences by meeting the philanthropic needs of its various academic departments, promoting teaching, research and service, and supporting the continued development of knowledge and learning.
Supporting the Arts and Sciences Fund advances this mission by providing critical funding for curriculum enrichment, groundbreaking research, transformative learning opportunities, the recruitment and retention of renowned teacher-scholars who educate and inspire, and much more. Gifts enable the dean of the College to elevate the academic experience, ensuring the College remains one of the best places in the nation to receive a broad-based liberal arts education.
“I can’t give multi-million dollar gifts, but I know that what I can give joins with the gifts of others to do great things for students and faculty at the College.”
Margaret Harper First donor to the Foundation
An Investment in the FUTURE OF THE COLLEGE
In honor of the Foundation’s 50 years, we invite you to consider a gift to the Arts and Sciences Fund at one of the following levels:
DEAN’S CIRCLE $1,500+
Join the Dean’s Circle in the College of Arts and Sciences with an annual contribution of $1,500 or more to the Arts and Sciences Fund.
HARPER SOCIETY $5,000+
Join the Margaret Harper Society with an annual contribution of $5,000 or more to the Arts and Sciences Fund.
Her gift of $1,000 in 1975 led to the phenomenal growth of the Foundation and its support of the College of Arts and Sciences.
1975 SOCIETY $50,000 Pledge
Become an inaugural member of the 1975 Society, named after our founding year, by pledging $50,000 or more to the Arts and Sciences Fund. (payable over five years)
Learn more about the Foundation’s impact over the past 50 years: uncasf.org/fifty
MARGARET
The College of Arts and Sciences recognizes annual donors to the Arts and Sciences Fund of $1,500 or more as members of the Dean’s Circle. These alumni, friends and parents make a difference in the lives of College students and faculty every day through their leadership level support. We are incredibly grateful for the investment and pride that those in this group have for the University, and for their commitment to excellence.
Arts and Sciences Fund GIFTS IN ACTION
Dean’s Circle Benefits
Invitation to donor recognition event
Early access to popular lectures and seminars featuring notable speakers
Insider access calls with Dean White and other key College leadership
Free parking at Buchan House when visiting campus
Biannual subscription to Carolina Arts and Sciences magazine
Minutes of the Development and Communications Committee Meeting
April 24, 2025
On Thursday, April 24, 2025, the Development and Communications Committee of the Arts and Sciences Foundation Board of Directors met in Hyde Hall at 3:30 p m.
Board of Directors
Virginia Cárdenas
Rita Hanes
Bill Ragland
Staff Members
Ali Blue
Sophia Gillette
Colleen Sisneros
Welcome and Introductions
Dory Clark
Lisa Huffines
Jennifer Rich
Tina CoyneSmith
Ronda Manuel
Meredith Tunney
Evie Davis
Charlie Mercer
Alan Michael Chunn
Anna Peterson
Natalie Vizuete
Jennifer Rich opened the meeting and led with introductions. The minutes from the fall 2024 meeting were reviewed and approved, with a motion by Dory Clark and a second by Rita Hanes.
FY25 Fundraising Update and FY26 Fundraising Goal
Ronda Manuel shared that the fundraising goal for fiscal year 2025 was set at $70 million. As of Monday, April 21, $36.7 million has been raised, leaving approximately $33 million still to be secured. Despite the remaining gap, a strong fourth quarter is expected, consistent with historical patterns of fundraising success. The current fundraising pipeline includes approximately $61.2 million in opportunities, with $25 million anticipated to close by June 30, 2025 Ms. Manuel also noted there is $25 million in potential “big wins” significant gifts that have a timeline outside of the control of the development team.
Rita Hanes voiced concerns about the potential impact of cuts in federal research funding and how that may impact philanthropy and college priorities Natalie Vizuete, associate dean for communications in the College of Arts and Sciences, remarked that Dean White acknowledges these concerns and indicated that updates would be provided in the remarks he gives at the plenary session. Evie Davis suggested creating talking points for board members to help them more effectively communicate the impact of research cuts at UNC and increase donor awareness.
After operating at reduced capacity for three years, the fundraising staff is now growing. The team, which raised $120 million (record-setting year) with 15 fundraisers, has been working at half strength. The immediate focus is on hiring experienced senior fundraisers who can start contributing right away and later build their teams with more assistant and associate directors Notably, Mike Klaus has been promoted to Director of Development, and Angela O’Neill has been promoted to Senior Director of Development and Assistant Vice President.
Currently, the Arts and Sciences Foundation team has 30 people, with a target of expanding to around 40 by the end of FY26. Most of these new hires will be fundraisers, with the goal of
having at least 20 fundraisers in the next campaign. However, state and system-wide hiring restrictions could slow down this process. Even after new team members are onboarded, there may be a delay in fully onboarding them and getting them on the road.
The committee agreed that the FY26 fundraising goal should be set later in the summer, particularly given the uncertainty in the market. The overall economy will be considered when setting the FY26 goal.
Board members will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement during the plenary session. Committee members engaged in a productive conversation about reviewing prospect and donor lists. Dory Clark asked if the College has giving honor rolls, which could be a helpful motivational tool for giving. Tina CoyneSmith shared that the College used to have donor honor rolls but discontinued this practice for a few reasons. They take a lot of staff time to put together and can be tricky to get right, especially with so many donors and donor couples and the need to list names exactly how people would like them to appear. Plus, these lists can unintentionally give other fundraisers a handy guide to folks who are likely to give to similar causes.
Campaign Planning
Colleen Sisneros and Meredith Tunney provided an update on campaign planning and shared that Dean White and Anne Collins will be sharing a draft presentation during the plenary session. The timeline for publicly launching the campaign remains uncertain, with the earliest potential start date being November 2028. The campaign is expected to last for eight years. Currently, the campaign is in its planning phase. Over the summer, the team will focus on data analysis to refine strategies. Results from the recent Boston Consulting Group (BCG) liberal arts survey will also help shape the campaign by identifying what alumni value most about their College of Arts and Sciences experience and how they prefer to be engaged. Additional feedback will be collected during the plenary session.
Donor Relations and Communications Updates
Meredith Tunney and Natalie Vizuete highlighted recent updates in donor relations and communications. The College is celebrating 50 years of philanthropy, a major milestone in its history. A commemorative video has been created to showcase the impact of donor giving, the value of a liberal arts education and testimonials from undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty. The video’s theme focuses on strengthening the College, beginning with Margaret Harper’s first donation in 1975. The video serves to recognize and celebrate the incredible impact of the Arts and Sciences Foundation over the past 50 years with an eye to the future. Arts and Sciences Fund giving opportunities specific to celebrating 50 years of philanthropy in the College were created in close collaboration with Anna Peterson They are the Margaret Harper Society and the 1975 Society.
Dean White has tasked various individuals with contributing to a 10-year strategic plan, and Ms. Vizuete is leading efforts to refresh messaging around the value of a liberal arts education. Additionally, the 40th issue of the Carolina Arts and Sciences magazine has been released. The communications team includes Kim Spurr, who manages the magazine; Jess Abel, who oversees social media; and Calley Jones who specializes in science and math content.
Arts and Sciences Fund Update
Anna Peterson shared that the Arts and Sciences Fund is currently performing ahead of target, exceeding the year-over-year goal by 17% with $1.85 million raised as of April 22, 2025. The goal for FY26 is $2.15 million. All associated giving societies, including the Dean’s Circle, the Margaret Harper Society and the newly launched 1975 Society (which already has 15 members), have experienced growth.
Student artwork has been integrated into donor mailings and gifts to enhance engagement. GiveUNC results show a slight year-over-year increase in contributions. Plans are underway to expand the Dean’s Circle, including exclusive events and member surveys to foster deeper connections. Two recent appeals the holiday card signed by Lisa Huffines and the 50th anniversary appeal signed by Charlie Mercer were notably successful. New lapel pins will be sent to Dean’s Circle members as a token of appreciation. Additionally, the team is exploring the creation of a video featuring students expressing their love for Carolina to thank donors personally.
Former Directors Engagement Committee Update
Bill Ragland announced that Dory Clark will serve as the new chair of the Former Directors Engagement Committee. There was a suggestion to designate one meeting every other year as a reunion for Former Directors to foster connection and continuity. The committee is planning to add two new Former Directors and will continue to keep members engaged through discussions on topical issues, including emerging trends such as artificial intelligence.
