Following record-breaking fundraising results over the previous two years, the Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) Foundation kept its strong momentum going by posting the third-highest fundraising total in the college’s history for the 2025–2026 fiscal year.
For the year ending June 30, the Foundation raised $1,617,245, successfully achieving 108% of its annual goal. The funds directly support student financial assistance, scholarships, athletic programs, the Student Emergency Fund, the Resource Center and Food Pantry, and campus centers.
A major driver of this year’s success was the 10th Annual Giving Day held in March. The 24-hour campaign smashed records by raising $228,863—surpassing its $200,000 goal and pushing the event past $1 million in cumulative giving over its 10-year history. The milestone was supported by 848 gifts (a 28% increase), including 40 gifts of $1,000 or higher and a 31% jump in alumni participation. Matching funds totaling $75,000 from benefactors Jim and Jill Gibson, Don and Penny Pray, and an anonymous donor played a crucial role in the event’s success.
The Gibsons also made waves with a landmark $500,000, five-year commitment to the college’s Center for Environmental Studies. The generous gift will fund 30 to 50 paid student internships annually across forest ecology, wildlife research, coastal conservation, and campus sustainability.
Supporting basic needs and campus initiatives
Other notable highlights from the fiscal year include:
- Golf Classic: The 22nd Annual RVCC Foundation Golf Classic held in June at Neshanic Valley Golf Course raised $162,075, which included $6,500 dedicated to the “FUEL THE RIDE” initiative benefiting the campus food pantry.
- Historic Pantry Donation: The RVCC Resource Center and Food Pantry received a $50,000 anonymous gift—the largest in the college’s history—dedicated to combating student food insecurity and removing barriers to academic success.
“These meaningful and impactful gifts—from individual donors, corporations, foundations, community partners, and our own RVCC family—have made a significant difference in the lives of so many of our students,” Mike Marion, executive director of the RVCC Foundation and RVCC Alumni Association said.
