Despite the challenges of Fiscal Year 2020, specifically COVID-19 and the cancellation of numerous athletics events during the spring, the Tiger Athletic Fund (TAF) was able to push through adversity to support one of the Athletic Department's primary goals: putting student-athletes first.
 
During FY20--which captured philanthropy from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020--TAF raised more than $788,000, good for the fourth-highest cash-in fundraising total in department history. Gifts were made from 1,095 unique donors, 646 of which were either new or lapsed donors. TAF saw a 41% renewal percentage across FY19 and FY20.
 
Out of respect for the varying degrees of circumstances, TAF went dark during the first two months of the pandemic's outbreak, limiting their efforts to a once-a-week newsletter. This allowed the community to focus on their health and safety, while also allowing the department to get a firm grasp on return to play scenarios and a plan to recover financially.
 
On May 18, the Tiger Athletic Fund announced their partnership with Towson Sports Medicine to #FinishStrong—focusing all fundraising efforts to sustain the growth in resources for student-athlete well-being, and asking for the community to come together in support of the fund for Student-Athlete Well-being and Competitive Excellence. Funds raised support the Fuel Zone, nutrition education, dietitian support, sport psychology and mental health programs.
 
The Tiger Athletic Fund did not anticipate the flood of support that followed their ask to #FinishStrong. During the last few weeks of the fiscal year, 427 donors gave in support of Towson Athletics, raising close to $200,000. Of those gifts, 257 were made in the final two days of June following a last-ditch effort to get as much money in the door as coaches plan and prepare for their 2020-21 budgets. Since the ask to #FinishStrong, over 160 donations were made from former Tiger student-athletes.
 
"We had to tread lightly during the tail end of FY20," said Senior Associate AD for Development, Dan Crowley. "More than ever, we needed support. The future was so unclear at the time, but we knew that a sound financial cushion would produce a best case scenario for our athletic programs. But at the same time, we wanted to show our support for the families and communities affected by the pandemic, and respect their individual financial decisions. Even in the face of such difficult times, our alumni, fans and donors have remained incredibly supportive and generous."
 
During these challenging times, Towson Athletics staff stepped up to the plate in numerous ways. In addition to adjusting and adapting to remote learning, teaching and working environments, athletics staff were extremely philanthropic as over 71% made a donation in support of Towson student-athletes.
 
Amidst the pandemic, the Tiger Athletic Fund was finishing up an annual fundraising challenge posed to former athletes. In its 6th year, the Alumni-Athlete Challenge was as heated as ever, as teams rallied to get as much alumni participation as possible to win their current team extra cash for their enhancement funds. In the end, Towson Gymnastics alumni earned their program $7,500 for the upcoming year by winning two of the three prize categories: most participation and most new donors. Second-year Gymnastics Head Coach Jay Ramirez commented, "this cushion is exactly what the program needs as we prepare for the inevitable challenges that lie ahead. Thank you to all of the alumni that continue to fight for the well-being of Towson Gymnastics."
 
Additionally, Towson Football alumni earned $2,500 for the most money raised by alumni. After hearing of their prize, Towson Football Head Coach Rob Ambrose chose to defer the $2,500 to Towson Baseball, who came in a close second.
 
Through the entire fiscal year, over 475 former Tigers gave back to Towson Athletics, the third-highest participation in department history.
 
"We are incredibly thankful and humbled by the dedication and continued loyalty of Tiger Nation," said Director of Athletics Tim Leonard. "Thanks to their support, in addition to the leadership of TU President Kim Schatzel and her staff, we have tackled these challenges optimistically and will continue to push forward with minimal damage. We must use this momentum, as we have before, to continue to Build Greatness, to continue to get more people involved and to continue to pave the way for our Tigers to enjoy a life-changing, championship-caliber experience."
 
In closing, Crowley stated, "on behalf of Towson student-athletes, coaches and staff, the Tiger Athletic Fund thanks Tiger Nation for their continued investment and support. The fight is far from over, and we are forever grateful to our annual TAF members."