Fundraising: our progress
Almost half a year has passed since I last shared with you the progress of our quest for donations. As the end-of-June deadline of the Government Matching Grant Scheme (MGS) is approaching, I have received more enquiries than ever about how much money CityU has raised so far in relation to the Scheme.
Frankly speaking, given our short history compared with some sister institutions, it has been an uphill battle. From the moment the University Grants Committee rolled out the MGS as an inducement a year ago, I have devoted much of my time, supported by the untiring efforts of the faculties, Development and Alumni Relations Office and other related departments, to seeking ways to diversify the University's sources of income. The need to achieve the Government's benchmark HK$45 million (floor amount) set aside for each institution before the deadline injected a sense of urgency in our fundraising endeavours. This meant we had to devise and implement particularly intensive strategies and activities to encourage donations. So how far have we gone?
I am very pleased to share with you the joy that we've hit our target! To date, the University has secured donations of over HK$ 50 million (non-matching cases and donations in kind are excluded) and I have every confidence there will be more to come before the end of next month. Not surprisingly, most of the older universities were able to achieve the floor amount much sooner than we, and consequently exhausted the competitive fund in the central pool which was available for matching on a first-come-first-served basis. While CityU is guaranteed matching funds for HK$ 45 million, any further matching depends on surplus funds becoming available should other institutions not manage to raise the floor amount by the deadline. It is not known whether or not the Government will extend the Matching Grant Scheme after it concludes at the end of June 2004.
My heartfelt thanks go out to all those involved in this venture -- staff, alumni and students -- and most particularly our University friends who have given us their generous support since the MGS was launched last year. Each and every member of staff has played a vital role in the yearlong campaign. Many of you not only helped cultivate donations for the development of the University, but also shared the joy of giving by participating enthusiastically in the "Turn One to Five" Donation Campaign.
CityU community shows strong giving spirit
Congratulations go to the 770 staff members who, in just nine weeks, topped the HK$ 2 million target by contributing more than HK$ 2.2 million, with special thanks to our Departmental Fundraising Ambassadors who helped promote the Campaign among their colleagues. As you may recall, achieving the target releases pledges from three private sponsors, namely HK$ 1 million from Mr Michael KAO Cheung-chong (Chairman of IMI Global Holdings Limited), HK$ 1 million from Dr Dennis SUN Tai-lun (our University Council Member) and HK$ 3 million from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous. When you add the matching grant of some HK$ 5 million available from the Government, you find the "Turn One to Five" Donation Campaign has generated a magical HK$ 12 million for the University! As a token of the University's appreciation for your great support, the following Awards will be delivered at the Closing Ceremony of the 20th Anniversary to be held in December of this year:-
Top Department Staff Donation
Department of Building and ConstructionHighest Average Departmental Staff Donation
Office of the Vice-President (Administration)
Best Participation (Outstanding Departmental Fundraising Ambassador)
Development and Alumni Relations Office (Miss SHUM Wai-yan)
External Liaison and Cooperation Office (Ms Ada AU)
Human Resources Office (Miss Kit CHOW)
Internal Audit Unit (Ms Ivy TSO)
Management Board Secretariat
Office of CityU Extension (Ms Connie NG)
Office of the Vice-President (Administration) (Miss Ellen SO)
Public Affairs Office
Bond between CityU and alumni becomes stronger
Though our alumni are comparatively young, they have rallied to the cause admirably. The “Alumni Giving Club”, newly established in last September, has offered them a platform to demonstrate support for their alma mater and provided a systematic and sustaining channel to raise funds for the University. More than 700 alumni have pledged a total of around HK$ 1.4 million. Together with the matching grant available from the Government, the University has established a Student Support Fund worth more than HK$ 2 million. We are most grateful to our alumni for their care and contributions to the University and the well-being of our students.
Caring culture implanted in students
Our students have followed the good examples of our University friends, staff and alumni by responding actively to the University’s call for a caring culture and efforts in fundraising. Over the past year, they have organised and participated in various fundraising activities, including a hostel-wide donation drive and a mini-concert benefit night. Over 20 enthusiastic Students’ Union leaders, including its President and Vice-President, have spent many evenings in ringing up alumni to promote the “Alumni Giving Club”to them. All these endeavours demonstrate the caring culture that has been implanted in our CityU students.
We’ve got off to a great start
As the University sheds its formative teen years and enters its twenties, I hope that our caring culture will continue to grow well beyond the 20th anniversary celebrations. Your sustained and spirited support, which has demonstrated the unified vision of the CityU community, will set an example for others to follow and help generate greater contributions from our external University friends and supporters. Let us continue to work together so that we can marshal an army of CityU supporters whose contributions can ensure our University can grow from strength to strength. Thank you all once again!
H K Chang
President and University Professor