Sports Fund-Raising at the Grassroots Level

The future of intercollegiate athletics at UC Davis relies on the same concern and necessity for generating revenue that faces many businesses. In the next academic year, the UC Davis Aggies will add three new women's sports, increasing the number of teams to 23. To help plan for the future, the Aggies have developed aggressive campaigns both in marketing and fundraising that focus especially on getting grassroots support. "Obtaining financial support for an NCAA Division II program presents a different set of challenges than schools that participate in scholarship-driven Division I colleges," says Doug Dull, assistant athletic director. "Without big money coming from television exposure or from the Division I revenue-sharing plan, UC Davis must generate support regionally." A small staff of professionals, students and volunteers work the telephones, walk the neighborhoods and develop special events to try to improve the spirit of athletic philanthropy.