UNA Pressroom

North Alabama Foundation Endowment Tops $53 Million

Jan. 13, 2022



Michelle R. Eubanks , UNA, at meubanks@wybxx.com, 256.765.4392

FLORENCE, AL – The University of North Alabama Foundation Endowment has topped $53 million, which marks a doubling in size of the endowment in the last 10 years. This is the largest growth the endowment has experienced since its inception in 1980.

“The endowment growth is a credit to the collective efforts our team in University Advancement,” said UNA President Dr. Ken Kitts. “It also speaks to work going on across campus by our outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as the desire among our alumni and friends to support this great institution. In the years to come, we will see additional growth in our endowment that will allow us to continue to be a leader in the higher education community both in the state and in the region.”

Kevin Haslam, Vice President of Advancement at UNA and Executive Director of the UNA Foundation attributes the growth to two key factors. The first is the vision and leadership taking place at the institution at all levels.

“Great things are happening at UNA; there are numerous opportunities to partner with the great work being done and to truly make a significant difference,” he said. “Secondly, there are a lot of truly remarkable alumni and friends who genuinely love this University, who understand the profound difference they can make through their philanthropy, and they are partnering with the University to encourage, empower, and equip others to become the best they are capable of becoming.”

Reaching this milestone of $50 million is significant for the UNA Foundation, according to Haslam. And it has come thanks to a refocusing of the vision of marrying the donors with that about which they are most passionate.

“Understanding what matters most, and the key to success in any endeavor, is people and the relationships we have with them,” he said. “We knew it was critically important to connect with more people and get them connected to the University in whatever manner is most meaningful to them. This is what this moment signifies – people and the great things we can accomplish when we work together.”

Jason Thomas, who graduated from UNA in 1995, is serving as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the UNA Foundation. He said that reaching this figure is a milestone in Foundation history.

“The endowment’s growth is evidence of loyalty toward the University of North Alabama and confidence in the work that’s being done,” Thomas said. “As we look to the future, this milestone is strong evidence of the great things to come at UNA. The Foundation is excited to be part of the endowment’s continued growth and the ability to do even more good for education and the University’s mission.”

  • The UNA Foundation created benchmarks of progress, including:
  • Intentional outreach to alumni and friends,
  • Being donor-centric,
  • Record levels of donor giving, and
  • Developing new ways to partner across divisions and departments.

These strategies aligned with how donors want to interact with UNA as part of their philanthropic giving, according to Haslam.

“What matters most to us in the Foundation is connecting people to the University in whatever manner is most meaningful to them, be it time, talent and/or treasure,” Haslam said. “Philanthropy, done properly, is about donors giving what matters most to them, and it benefits those they intend to bless through their giving. Our mantra in the UNA Foundation is ‘Your passion. Your philanthropy. Every giver. Every gift.’ From the depths of our hearts, we believe this to be true.”

About The University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: wybxx.com and wybxx.com/unaworks/.