Today, the UCLA Men’s Rowing program is the most talked about club program in America.
The Varsity Eight won the gold medal at the 2023 ACRA National Championships, earning UCLA its first-ever national title in rowing. The program reached the podium with six boats at the 2022 Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships. The Varsity Four, which won the Head of the Charles in 2019, also earned the right to participate at the Henley Royal Regatta in July 2022. On top of that, the team continues to be driven by walk-ons and graduates a dozen seniors each year primed to be leaders and change-makers in their adult lives.

The Friends of UCLA Rowing (FOUR) has an ambitious, yet achievable 2030 Vision: to be the best club program in the United States. And now, FOUR is proud to announce that it seeks to establish a $10 million endowment by 2030 to support UCLA Men’s Rowing, ensuring its success, longevity, and ability to develop young men and women into leaders for generations to come. The interest income from this level of endowment would provide two-thirds of the annual expenditure and the remaining one-third would be provided by annual giving.

UCLA MEN’S ROWING HAS A
LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE SINCE 1933

UCLA’s Men’s Crew has a strong history of success and is now well-positioned to continue this success for decades to come. With strategic philanthropic investment, the program can become a powerhouse, setting the bar for club programs across the country. This campaign is about permanently establishing the opportunity that we all benefited from - a chance for young men and women to share life-defining experiences through the sport of rowing.

Realizing the 2030 vision

THE 2030 VISION: TO BE THE BEST
COLLEGIATE CLUB ROWING PROGRAM
IN THE COUNTRY.

Funding the Endowment

The budget for the Men’s program, for the last few years, has been $300,000 per year. In order to reach and maintain a position as the top club university rowing program in the country, we must increase the annual budget to $600,000 in the coming years. A $10 million endowment will yield interest in perpetuity of approximately $400,000 annually, two-thirds of the annual budget.

This will enable investments in four strategic areas:

1. The Student-Athletes
Reduce the out-of-pocket expenses of daily operations currently paid by the rowers and continue building the scholarships to reduce the costs of tuition and living expenses for those in need.

2. Coaching Leadership
Increase our investment in coaching leadership, including a full-time head coach supported by a full-time frosh coach to better develop our young student-athletes.

3. Equipment/Technology
Consistently provide competitive racing and training boats, oars and equipment, replacing two major boats each year.

4. Consistent Presence at Key Regattas
Consistently participate in key national and international regattas to be visible, strengthen recruiting, and maintain credibility.

Progress Towards the Vision
In 2022, we assembled an esteemed group of coaches, world rowing experts, fundraising specialists, and FOUR board members for the purpose of creating a strategy to free us from the current cycle of constant fundraising and structural limitations.

The solution and plan
Fund the team for life through an endowment and realize the 2030 vision. Our rowing alumni have always been very supportive of the program, and this endowment effort is a concerted and coordinated campaign to ensure the long-term viability and vitality of our program.

The Endowment Campaign has printed materials available to you. Please download Endowment Campaign's Explanatory Brochure here and the Endowment Campaign's Strategic Plan here.

Bob Newman (’68) and his wife Mary Jo are donating $2.5 million. We are incredibly grateful for their generosity
and their leadership. Their gift is historic – the largest in UCLA Club Sports history.

As of May 2024, the Endowment has reached nearly $4.5 million in commitments. We invite you to build on this momentum, maximize the impact of Bob and Mary Jo’s donation and join in the mission to propel the future
of UCLA Men’s Rowing.

SECURE THE FUTURE.
INVEST IN EXCELLENCE

Together, we can make the program sustainable forever, reduce the burden on our student-athletes, and make the strategic investments to produce a dominant team.

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE?

There are many ways to make a gift to the endowment. Gifts of all sizes are welcome:

• One-time gift
• Appreciated stock, property, and annuities
• Pledges over multiple years
• Named endowments for specified, identified purposes
• Estate planning

There are many ways to give, see them all here: https://www.uclafoundation.org/Resources/ WaysToGive

To join our community of supporters or if you have any questions, please contact members of the Endowment Campaign Committee: Mark Klein at 415-699-7050, Kevin Still at 914-548-8447, Matt Smith at +39-334-737-1145 (Italy), or Chris Hirth at 818-661-7546.
You may also contact us by email at uclarowingalumni@gmail.com

If you have any questions about your support of Men’s Crew, the UCLA Student Affairs Development team is available to assist. Kindly direct your inquiries to studentaffairsdevelopment@support.ucla.edu
or call UCLA Donor Relations at 310-794-2447.

Endowment Campaign Committee

The Endowment Committee conducted an analysis of the collegiate rowing landscape, worked
closely with the coaching staff, and includes a dream team of alumni committed to putting the
program on a sustainable path for years to come. Members include:

Mark Klein, Chair, formerly SVP, Public Affairs, CommonSpirit Health

Kevin Still, retired insurance executive and Olympic bronze medallist

Matt Smith, recently retired Executive Director, World Rowing

Chris Hirth, retired technology executive, former FOUR Treasurer

Dominic Pardini, President of the Board, Friends of UCLA Rowing

Marcel Stiffey, Head Coach, UCLA Men’s Rowing

Natoya Miller, Associate Director of Development, Student Affairs, UCLA

To join our community of supporters or if you have any questions, contact members of the FOUR
Endowment Committee: Mark Klein at 415-699-7050, Kevin Still at 914-548-8447, Matt Smith at
+39-334-737-1145 (Italy) or Chris Hirth at 818-661-7546
You may also contact us by email at uclarowingalumni@gmail.com

Endowment Campaign Honorary Council:

The Endowment Campaign Honorary Council provides advice and suggestions to the Endowment
Campaign Committee. Members include:

FOUR: FRIENDS OF UCLA ROWING

FOUR is the community of alumni, friends and family that support the UCLA Men’s Rowing team, whose mission is to provide financial, organizational and inspirational support to the program.

Learn more about the efforts of FOUR: www.uclamensrowing.com/four
Sign up for the Strokewatch Newsletter: https://www.uclamensrowing.com/home
FOUR is deeply grateful for your consideration.