The KU Foundation is a private corporation established as the fundraising agency of Kutztown University. The Foundation was established in 1983 when the Kutztown College Foundation and the George B. Hancher Endowment Fund were merged. This merger brought all university fund-raising into one unified effort. Foundation resources are used to address University-identified needs and priorities.

Facts about Kutztown University:

1. KU is the largest institution of higher education east of State College and north of Philadelphia. This past year our enrollment exceeded 10,000 students. For the past 5 years KU has been one of the fastest growing Universities in the State.
2. Seventy-five percent of our students and seventy-six percent of our alumni live in Eastern Pennsylvania.
3. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provides less than 37% of the University budget. The balance must be provided through gifts, grants, tuition and fees.
4. Students who attend KU and the other state universities pay one of the highest public tuition rates in the country.
5. Commonwealth funds cannot be used for scholarships. All scholarship support must be provided through gifts and grants.

Summary of Foundation activity:

In 1980 the Foundation had annual income of $5,000 and assets of $20,000 while the endowment assets were about $70,000. Today, the Foundation has total assets of over $55 million including over $13 million in the endowed scholarship fund. Annually, the Foundation receives over 6,500 gifts and total annual gift income exceeds $2,500,000. The Foundation has total annual gross income of over $5,000,000.

How does the KU Foundation operate?

A Board of Directors comprised of alumni, friends of the University and members of the corporate community governs the Foundation. The Foundation employs an Executive Director and staff to operate the offices and conduct business. The Foundation Board is responsible for the policies, budget, goals and scope of operation for the Foundation. In addition to securing voluntary gift support for the University, the Foundation also operates a subsidiary corporation, Kutztown Resource Management, Inc. This corporation owns and acquires and builds student housing and related ventures. The Foundation is a partner with the Kutztown Fair Board in the Kutztown Pennsylvania German Festival, Inc., which annually conducts a ten-day festival in July.

Mission Statement

The mission of Kutztown University Foundation is to raise funds to assist in developing and increasing educational opportunities at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania for its students, faculty, alumni and the general public.

Vision Statement

In 2009, as the leadership of Kutztown University Foundation begins its planning activities, it has created the following vision of the outcomes of its efforts in 2015. 

We raise funds. As fully responsible stewards of our donors’ money, we are highly focused and intentional. As the development arm of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, we are operationally excellent. Because we are well run, stable, transparent, accountable, forward thinking, credible and highly respected, we are sustainable for the long term. Always responsive to changes in the university’s priorities, we are dynamic and results oriented. Our staff is competent, ethical, enthusiastic, well trained, responsive and engaged. Additionally, we are an effective community partner. 

As a result of our strategic focus and hard work, we have $20 million in our endowment. We have successfully completed our $7.5 million capital campaign and received matching funds from the state. Our alumni participation meets the average participation of our comparison group and we are in the upper quartile of our comparison group on all key benchmarks. Most important, the funds we raise are transformational; they change the lives of thousands of people every year.