CU Foundation wins national fundraising award

Wayne Hutchens, president and CEO of the University of Colorado Foundation

The University of Colorado Foundation has won a national award for improving fundraising programs that benefit the university.

CASE, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, notified the foundation on June 1 that it had won the 2009 CASE Wealth Engine Award for Educational Fundraising.

Wayne Hutchens, president and CEO of the University of Colorado Foundation, called the award a great honor, especially from a highly respected resource for education development.

"We're thrilled that CASE has recognized the great progress we've made on behalf of CU's exemplary people, places, and programs," Hutchens said.

The council said the Wealth Engine award honors "superior fundraising programs" across the United States, and is part of its Circle of Excellence, which recognizes programs and activities that advance university communications, alumni relations and fundraising efforts, and set an example for the rest of academia.

"Your institution has not only demonstrated the highest levels of professionalism and best practice in its fundraising efforts, it has contributed to the betterment of educational advancement worldwide," wrote CASE President John Lippincott in an award letter.

Citing overall performance and improvement in fundraising, CASE officials said the CU Foundation was among an "exceptional group of colleges, universities and independent schools" named to its Circle of Excellence.