50 Years of Milestones

1967

The University of Colorado Foundation is incorporated by friends and supporters of the University of Colorado.

Dwight Roberts, Jr. is named the first Foundation president, with the first Foundation offices in the UMC and later Koenig Alumni Center on the Boulder campus.

1969

University fundraising total equals $363,000.

1974-79

The Foundation’s first comprehensive campaign, Second Century, raises $14 million (chaired by Ira Rothgerber).

1975

The Foundation office moves to the historic Page Center.

1981

Charles McCord becomes the second president and leads the Foundation for 20 years.

1993

Frontier 2000 campaign (begun in 1986) ends with $271.7 million raised (chaired by Clancy Herbst).

The University of Colorado’s endowment hits the $100 million mark.

1999

The Foundation moves its main office to a new location on Walnut Street in Boulder.

2001

Michael Byram succeeds Charlie McCord to become the 3rd president.

2003

Beyond Boundaries campaign (begun in 1996) raises $1.026 billion (chaired by Bruce and Marcy Benson).

2006

Wayne Hutchens becomes the Foundation’s 4th president.

The Creating Futures campaign is launched, again chaired by Bruce & Marcy Benson, with a $1.5 billion goal.

2007

The University President’s office and the Foundation’s headquarters move to 1800 Grant Street in Denver.

2012

Rick Lawrence is named the Foundation’s 5th president.

2013

Culmination of the Creating Futures campaign with $1.527 billion raised for CU.  CU Advancement is created to align fundraising operations and strategy with University and campus priorities.

2014

Jack Finlaw takes office as the 6th president of the Foundation.

The University’s endowment hits the $1 billion mark.

2017

University fundraising reaches a record $386.3 million in private support, $187 million of which was donated through the Foundation. The endowment is $1.22 billion, comprised of 2,635 individual funds. The Foundation now processes more than 82,400 gift and pledge transactions annually for CU.

CU Foundation marks its 50th year of service to CU