The Stewards & Legacy Funds

The Stewards Excellence Fund is the annual fundraising effort to support the immediate needs of the program. The funds close the gap between the budget provided by the Athletic Department and the needs of the program to achieve our Project 2030 objective of returning to the IRA Grand Final.

The Stewards Excellence Fund has been extremely successful to date. Three years ago, we raised $18,000. In 2025 we raised over $500,000 to support the program.

Our annual fundraising target is $500,000, but this likely will increase as the cost to remain competitive goes up and we adjust to the ever-changing funding situation in college athletics.

The fund fully or partially supports the following:

• The Wisconsin High Performance Training Center
• Director of WHP, Lowell McNicholas
• All athlete recruiting trips (partial)
• Financial support for athletes
• Alumni & Supporter Events (partial)
• Equipment (partial)

The Legacy Fund is the long-term funding engine designed to permanently endow Wisconsin Men’s Rowing as a nationally competitive varsity program at the University of Wisconsin.

We are well on our way toward our $50 million goal, a transformational investment that will sustain the program for generations to come. Like the endowments established by the nation’s top rowing programs, the Legacy Fund provides stability and protection — insulating Wisconsin Rowing from funding fluctuations within Athletic Departments and ensuring consistent resources regardless of changes in collegiate athletics.

But this fund is about more than preservation.

The Legacy Fund directly supports the long-term vision of Project 2030, strengthening the foundation needed to build a modern high-performance program. By creating permanent financial security, it allows Wisconsin Rowing to invest confidently in elite coaching, athlete development, recruiting, and the infrastructure required to compete at the highest level — today and decades into the future.