# Matched funding scheme boosts Leeds University's annual fund appeal

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/01/19/matched-funding-scheme-boosts-leeds-university039s-annual-fund-appeal/
- Published: 2009-01-19T14:25:41+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

⌊Leeds University students⌉⌊Leeds University students⌉By mentioning the new Government
Matched Funding Scheme for Higher Education in its Annual Fund communications to
alumni, the University of Leeds has achieved record results for its appeal.

The University’s Alumni Annual Fund aims to raise £1.5 million from alumni by 2011
in order to unlock a further £500,000 via the Matched Funding scheme.

As a result, all Annual Fund communications explain the Matched Funding scheme and
show donors exactly what this additional income could achieve across the five priority
areas supported by the Fund.

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The [Matched Funding Scheme for Higher Education](http://www.hefce.ac.uk/Finance/fundinghe/vol)
aims to increase voluntary giving to higher education (HE) providers. All higher
education institutions (HEIs) and directly funded further education colleges (FECs)
in England have been invited to participate in the scheme. Eligible gifts to participating
institutions will be matched through a fund of £200 million.

The University’s most recent telephone appeal to its alumni, the first since the
Matched Funding scheme was launched, has been one of its most successful ever. Leeds
graduates pledged gifts totalling £145,000 in just six and a half weeks, more than
double the total pledged in Autumn 2007. In addition, the number of alumni pledging
gifts to the University rose by two thirds compared to the same time last year.

Adrian Salmon, Annual Fund Manager at the University of Leeds, said, "This is a 
tremendously encouraging response from our graduates – particularly considering 
the current economic climate.

"The Matched Funding scheme is proving very effective in encouraging donations over
the telephone – and the scheme features in every conversation."

The University plans to run two further telephone appeals to alumni in its current
financial year ending July 2009.

www.alumni.leeds.ac.uk/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=183&srcid=-2

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