By Sean McDevitt
FightingIllini.com

Strength in Numbers Website

There's a story Howard Milton, Senior Associate Athletic Director, Development, likes to tell about being in airports and wearing the Fighting Illini's orange and blue colors. It doesn't matter where he goes, what city he's in, or even how large or small the airport. It always happens.

A fellow traveler will sneak up close and in a conspiratorial-voice will say, "I-L-L."

Without fail, he'll respond with an "I-N-I."

More often, he'll be heading to his gate, and from across the concourse, he'll hear that same "I-L-L" loud and proud. With no hesitation, Milton will belt back a loud "I-N-I."

It's the nature of the beast when you have nearly 500,000 living alumni scattered across the country.

Chicagoland: View Progress

Having such a large alumni base and an even larger fan base, it is obvious why the University of Illinois Development launched a new campaign with the catchy title of "Strength in Numbers." As they say, the numbers don't lie.

Corey Ansfield, Assistant Athletic Director for the annual fund, is set to lead this ambitious campaign designed to bring the total number of donors to the Athletic Department to 10,000 by July 2022. A friendly competition has been set up between five different regions around the state of Illinois plus one to engage out-of-state alumni.

"When we look at where we can be with the number of alumni and fans that we have, we see no reason why we shouldn't be able to get to 10,000 donors total," said Ansfield. "Plus, 10,000 will ultimately get us, we believe, to our goal of fully funding the $13 million in scholarships provided to Illini student-athletes each year."

There's a popular misconception that because a student-athlete receiving a scholarship doesn't have to pay for tuition, room and board, books, or fees, there is no expense. Nothing could be further from the truth. All 280 student-athlete scholarships are paid for by Illinois Athletics to the tune of $13 million annually. A number, by the way, that only continues to grow.

Central Illinois: View Progress

When there is a shortfall in the scholarship fund, it is made up through other operating budgets.

Milton explained, "It really is about the health of the whole athletic department when you have that deficit, because right now if we're raising $7 million year after year and the bill is $14 million, we're digging into operating budget for the other seven of that. Well, what could that do to the football budget? What could that do to the women's basketball budget, the swimming budget? What could that additional money do to enhance the east and south ends of the football stadium. So, it's about the total health and competitiveness of the athletic department."

On the extremely narrow focus, it is crucial to have the funds to take care of scholarship expenses. On the bigger picture, every dollar currently going towards scholarships is another dollar that could be re-allocated towards facility upgrades or improving fan amenities – South endzone and east side of Memorial Stadium perhaps? It is important to remember, if there was an extra $5-7 million not ear-marked for scholarships, larger projects like the stadium could get done that much faster.

The worldwide pandemic hit college athletics hard. Revenue generated from in-person games was non-existent, with tournaments and competitions canceled. Also, COVID-19 concerns thrust the health and well-being of student-athletes into the spotlight. However, the Strength in Numbers campaign is not tied to other financial considerations.

Out of State: View Progress

"Our priority has always been to try and get as many alumni and fans as we can to take that extra step and become a donor at any level, as a way to help improve our athletics program," Ansfield said. "Now, without having some of those other revenue opportunities, it just becomes more important that people do that."

Instead of reaching out to everyone in one big push, the team decided to split the state into different regions with individual donor goals tied to the respective areas.

"Essentially, what we're doing is trying to expand our reach, not just in Central Illinois, where a large portion of our season ticket holders and donors reside," said Ansfield. "Obviously, we have a lot in Chicago, but there are people all over the country, and we want to get those people more engaged, more involved because they watch us on TV, they listen to us on the radio, they attend our events, they wear our gear. Now we're inviting them to take that one more step to become a donor at any level and have a real impact on our long-term sustained success."

The main message of Strength in Numbers is about increasing engagement and investment in Illinois Athletics.

"It's not about a handful of people making really big gifts," said Ansfield. "We're fundraising for these major projects, so those people are vital to what we do, but equally important are the tens of thousands of people that can do a hundred bucks a year, every year. That adds up over time.

I-80 North: View Progress

"There is a huge misnomer that people have to be big donors to make a difference and that giving $100 doesn't matter. It matters a great deal because it's not just about your $100. It's your $100, which inspires the next person's $100 and the next person's $100."

Milton expanded on that idea, "This isn't some sprint campaign. This isn't a get in, get out kind of deal. It is years of consecutive giving that will truly move us forward. So, support us for a period of time. If you can only afford $50 a year for a decade, that's awesome."

A healthy donor base brings sustainability, which is a key point at Illinois.

Ansfield explains, "Many of our fans are motivated by wanting a successful sports program, a sustainable program that can win year-in and year-out. We've seen that in flashes at Illinois. We've seen it with sports like men's golf and it is amazing the amount of pride it has brought to the Illini Family. Imagine that across all 21 sports."

There are many reasons to give to Illinois Athletics, but Ansfield believes one of the most important ones is providing an incredible opportunity for student-athletes.

Western Illinois: View Progress

"This campaign is for those who really care about our student-athletes and think the student-athlete experience has value to this campus and those kids. It is for those who believe college athletics creates opportunities for student-athletes to obtain a University of Illinois degree. You can make that happen. You can give somebody that opportunity to come here in a way that they would never have otherwise."

Over the next few months, the Strength in Numbers campaign will begin rolling out virtual events to get potential donors excited about giving. Each region has its own goal and an ongoing tally of new donors. Plus, every new donor who joins the I FUND receives a Join the Fight Fan Pack, including stickers, luggage tags, and more. Lastly, if a region meets its goal, every donor within that region will be gifted an 8x10 personalized jersey print similar to the ones hanging inside the State Farm Center. It's an extra incentive for an entire area to work together.

Southern Illinois: View Progress

Getting the alumni base, potential donors, and fans excited about investing in Illinois Athletics is what the Strength in Numbers campaign is all about.

"We're asking us all to ban together to do this, to start the work that will determine the success of the entire department," said Milton. "This campaign is about building a sustainable base, and that requires people from all across the country, making a gift at whatever level they can. We can't wait to hear from everybody."