Our Crowdfunding Groups
Our crowdfunding campaign has ended, but you can still support Men's Rowing by clicking here.
UCLA Men's Rowing Season of Giving
We're deeply grateful for this community's continued support of our program.
The team is training hard, propelled by the vision to maintain our standing as the nation's #1 club rowing program.
Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we understand that constant fundraising requests can be overwhelming. So, this year we're consolidating our efforts into one campaign -- the Season of Giving from November 28th to December 31st.
All alums are asked to donate at whatever amount is reasonable.
As you keep reading, consider the words of the greatest coach of all time, John Wooden...
UCLA Men's Rowing Expenses and Budget at a Glance
Anyone who has played sports knows that the coach is the bedrock of the athlete's experience and program success. Studies show that coaches are one of the 5 most impactful people in a person’s life. They define how young people understand ethics, being a team player, and the purpose of work. This is why our modest budget shows coaching leadership as the main item.
Our coaching staff, led by Marcel Stiffey, shapes young Bruins into excellent people and fierce competitors. The rowing world recognizes this, as Coach Stiffey has been named the ACRA and WIRA Coach of the Year, and the team has been named UCLA Club Sport of the Year multiple times.
Beyond coaching, the budget gets the crew in the boats and to the races to compete at the highest level. It’s a slim budget for how much the team gets done and will remain that way.
2023 - 2024 UCLA Men's Rowing Budget
| Category | Amount | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Coaching | $215,000 | Head Coach, freshman coach, 2 assistant coaches |
| Regattas | $125,000 | Head of the Charles, San Diego Crew Classic, WIRA Regional Championships, ACRA National Championships |
| Daily Operations | $80,000 | Boathouse, banquet, vans to get to practice, gas money |
| Equipment | $50,000 | Rowing shells, ergs, technology, repairs, parts |
| Scholarships | $25,000 | Need and merit-based aid for deserving student-athletes |
| TOTAL | $495,000 | The top-tier club rowing program |
Next, let’s look at how the money comes in. As a club sport, students are expected to pay their way. They contribute around $2,000-$3,000 each and run fundraisers to offset costs as much as possible.
2023 - 2024 Fiscal Year Fundraising Goal
To balance the books, we absolutely need to raise at least $175,000 from alumni and $75,000 from friends and parents.
As a club sport, students are expected to contribute around $2,000 each and run fundraisers to offset costs as much as possible. Our endowments are growing rapidly and produce interest income that can be invested immediately into the program's success, but what's most critical are your contributions.
If everyone who has given in the past, continues to give at a similar or higher level, we will hit this target, and the team can persist. If not, we must make some hard cuts and tamp down the roaring fire we’ve worked so hard to build over so many years.
2023 - 2024 Income Targets
| Category | Amount | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Student Fees | $100,000 | ~$2,000 per student to participate in the sport |
| Endowments | $100,000 | Bob Newman Coaching Endowment, General Endowments, and Scholarship Funds |
| Alumni Donation Requirement | $175,000 | Annual gifts from generous alums |
| Parents and Friends Donation Requirement | $75,000 | Annual gifts from generous parents and friends |
| Student Contributions to Participate at Nationals and Buy Uniforms | $50,000 | ~$1,000 per student to race at the highest possible level |
| TOTAL | $505,000 | The top-tier club rowing program |
If you are considering a large gift to make a lasting impact on the program, don't hesitate to email UCLA Student Affairs Development at studentaffairsdevelopment@support.ucla.edu
WHO WE ARE
Friends of UCLA Rowing (FOUR)
FOUR’s primary mission is to provide financial, organizational, and inspirational support to the UCLA Men’s Rowing Team. UCLA Men's Rowing is a Varsity Club Sport recognized by both the Pac-12 Conference and the American Collegiate Rowing Association. UCLA Men's Rowing has over 1,200 alumni, friends, parents, and students who repeatedly give their time, talent, and treasure to make these boats go. AND to secure the benefit of this program, we must continue to fund it. There’s a long-term future where the team is funded through a $15M+ endowment that we are making real progress towards. But today, we need to cover the bills and keep the fuel in the furnace.
Why UCLA Men's Rowing Needs Your Support
UCLA Men's Rowing does not receive ANY funding from UCLA Athletics. Thus, the team relies heavily on a combination of athletes' dues and donations from generous family members and alumni. Financial assistance is needed to take care of equipment, organize travel accommodations, and pay the entry fee for several important races.
Our Student Athletes
The team of oarsmen and coxswains wake up to practice at 5:45 AM six days a week and participate in grueling land workouts at Drake Stadium twice a week. This requires a commitment of over 20 hours per week, all while upholding the virtues of a hard-working student.
This program is an invitation for courageous young men and women to answer the call to better themselves behind the oar. It’s a journey that forms character and brings young student-athletes to the peak of their capabilities. It’s the pinnacle of what holistic higher education can and should be. As we secure the program’s success, we will continue to remove barriers to attending UCLA and compete on the crew with additional scholarship opportunities.
This level of care and intensity doesn’t happen without your generosity.
UCLA Men's Rowing graduates 10+ hardworking seniors per year, the positive energy this team generates is electric, and, of course, we’re winning NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. The progress that we have been able to achieve with this program is astonishing.
WE NEED YOU!
So, Friends, FOUR's ask is clear and direct:
During our Season of Giving from Giving Tuesday on November 28th until the end of the calendar year, please consider renewing your annual donation to the Crew.
After that, please share this page with your former teammates, post it on your social media, and help us drive it across the finish line.
With the program secure for the year, we can spend the rest of the academic year inviting you into the joy and victories of the program through our communications, regattas, and a historic banquet on campus on March 16th. We get to celebrate our first-ever national championship 8+, and we are lucky to have the Olympic Head Coach of USRowing, Josy Verdonkschot, as our keynote speaker. With that, Friends of UCLA Rowing would like to thank you for all your energy and attention to this meaningful program. We are all absolutely blessed to be stewards of this community that is forming future leaders of the world and maintaining lifelong friendships.
Join (FOUR) in giving back to this deserving program that we love.
More info about UCLA Men's Rowing: Check out our website: https://uclarowing.com
From:
Dominic Pardini & the Friends of UCLA Rowing
Coach Marcel Stiffey & the Crew
Natoya Miller & UCLA Development
CLICK HERE TO READ THE UCLA FOUNDATION'S DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS FOR DONORS
Should this fund reach the campus minimum required for the establishment of an endowment or quasi-endowment, The UCLA Foundation reserves the right to convert this fund to an endowment or quasi-endowment. Please click here to learn more about how the UCLA Foundation invests and manages its endowments.
No donation is too small to help our team reach our fundraising goals! Row to win!
This almost pays for a brand-new 8+ racing shell. You can even name it!