STORY

CU still top contributor to statewide charity campaign

Employee donations up 3 percent over previous year
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Employees of the University of Colorado demonstrated their generosity in the most recent Colorado Combined Campaign (CCC), emerging as the single largest contributor to the statewide charitable donation drive.

Contributions from CU employees totaled $359,519 for the 2009 campaign, a 3 percent increase over the previous year. Money raised from the campaign goes to 700 charitable programs and services throughout the state.

"It says a lot about our colleagues at the university that, in this tough economy, CU employees contributed even more than they did the previous year," said CU President Bruce D. Benson. "The people of CU should be proud of our status as the biggest contributor to this very worthwhile statewide campaign."

For the first time, the University of Colorado Denver went green with its participation, opting not to distribute printed catalogs and instead used an online pledge tool. The number of contributors dropped slightly, but the dollar total increased (see figures below).

Established in 1988, the CCC is the primary charitable solicitation program for CU and state government. Donations to the workplace campaign are voluntary, confidential and tax-deductible. Statewide, 5,870 workers contributed $1,546,626 to the 2009 campaign, down from 7,175 contributors and $1,748,989 given in 2008.

The breakdown of CU's contributions by campus:

  • UCCS:
    2008: $25,945
    2009: $27,376
  • UC Denver:
    2008: $146,618
    2009: $160,864
  • System administration:
    2008: $26,175
    2009: $41,137
  • CU-Boulder:
    2008: $151,729
    2009: $130,142