FAYETTEVILLE — Big donations of $1 million or more accounted for 47% of all contributions in fiscal 2019 to the nonprofit organization supporting athletics at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
The Razorback Foundation’s $31.2 million fundraising total in the 12-month period that ended June 30, 2019 — up about $3 million from the previous year — was reached as it sought support for three UA athletics construction projects expected to cost about $47 million. The foundation reports its contributions annually to the Internal Revenue Service and filed its return last month.
Liz Wanless, an assistant professor of sports administration at Ohio University, said it’s typical for fundraising campaigns to build facilities to “very heavily” rely on big donors.