The UMKC Foundation announced that it reached a new donation record this year, receiving $59 million. This year’s donations were 35% higher than the previous record year for the foundation, with over 20,000 donors.
Among the largest donors were the Marion and Henry Bloch Foundation and the Sunderland Foundation, who donated $21 million and $15 million, respectively.
Of those donations from the Bloch Foundation, $11 million will go towards the Bloch School of Management, $8 million will go towards improving and expanding the Bloch Heritage Hall, and the remaining $1.2 million will go towards RooStrong, UMKC’s student success model.
“The commitment of the Bloch Family to Kansas City and to Kansas City’s university has been steadfast, highly impactful and beyond generous,” said UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal when speaking on the donation.
Five million dollars of the Sunderland Foundation gift will also go towards renovating the Bloch Heritage Hall. Of the remaining sum, $3 million will go towards renovating the Miller Nichols Library’s third floor, $3 million will be used to renovate classrooms within the UMKC law school, $2 million will be put towards Flarsheim Hall renovations, and the remaining $2 million will help renovations in the School of Dentistry.
Agrawal has also praised the efforts of donors and those in the UMKC Foundation.
“We view this as a strong message of confidence in the university, as well as our students, faculty and staff and an investment in future success,” said Agrawal. “I commend the UMKC Foundation on their dedication and diligence in helping to generate these resources.”
