Cambridge University Boat Club: Pulling Together 2024

Pulling Together is CUBC’s annual digital fundraising event, when the whole community -- alumni, parents, and supporters -- come together to support the Club. This third annual month of giving, a new tradition for CUBC, is taking place from 29 February - 30 March 2024.

Just as success in the boat is achieved through the energy of every single member of the crew, we’re asking all of the members of our community to support the Club, today.

Your participation, in whatever way makes sense for you, will demonstrate to current and future Cambridge rowers that there is a strong community behind them – full of rich traditions and that share a common goal.

Your gift will support:

All gifts received through this campaign will support the Pulling Together Fund, our year round regular giving programme which supports the Club's six funding priorities. These are:

Why is CUBC raising funds?

Whilst our student-athletes are excelling on the water, we are seeking to address new challenges behind the scenes. Our commitment to providing our rowers a rigorous and formative experience remains firm. But to do that we need your support.

The costs of delivering one of London’s most iconic sporting and cultural events with 250,000 spectators has increased significantly over the last 20 years, resulting in lower levels of sponsorship income for the Club. In fact, in the last two years, just 30% of CUBC’s costs were funded by sponsorship income. To meet the challenge, we have put in place plans to diversify revenue to ensure we have a financially sustainable future – including inviting our community to support us.

Preparing six race-ready crews, ensuring they have the right equipment and support to train and to race, comes at a substantial cost each year. We also run an extensive development programme in which college rowers participate. Your gift to CUBC will enable young men and women to reach their sporting potential as part of a high performance team. You will be investing in current students, changing the experiences of young people on and off the water. Our aim is to build a strong financial base, ensuring cost is no barrier for a student athlete competing for a place in a Boat Race crew.

All gifts, large or small, are warmly welcome and hugely appreciated. We particularly welcome recurring gifts, which provide sustainable support for our student-athletes and coaches. Your participation ensures the survival of the Boat Races, and that competition can continue at the highest level possible in perpetuity; the ultimate aim being to run the Club without reliance on commercial sponsorship or student subscriptions.

What is this year's goal?

Rather than a specific monetary goal, participation and collective impact are our aims. We know that global events have affected everyone differently, so we encourage you to give at whatever level makes sense for you. We want all members, parents, and supporters to share the Club's vision and actively take part -- and join those who are already giving regularly!

Ways to get involved:

🎁 Make a gift

• Any gift, no matter how large or small, will help us grow our world-class programmes.
• Recurring gifts – either on a monthly or yearly basis – are the best way for you to provide sustainable support for our student-athletes and coaches.

🤝 Offer a Match (or Challenge)

• Match and challenge opportunities will be displayed on the website and will unlock additional gifts when certain thresholds are met. This is a fantastic way to encourage participation from others.
• Consider specifying your match or challenge by your crew year or decade. Get in touch with Sarah-Kate Roberts ([email protected]) for further details.

💌 Spread the word

• Using the sample language provided in our volunteer toolkit, spread the word via email, text message, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, phone call, etc.
• Whilst you’re sharing, encourage others to attend the 2024 Boat Race Dinner.

In addition to the donors supporting this initiative we would also like to recognise the incredible generosity of the group of founding donors of The CUBC Rowing Charitable Fund, an endowment fund created to hold major philanthropic gifts to the Club in perpetuity. Many thanks to Stephen Peel, David Cassidy, Jim Garman, Siobhan & Adrian Cassidy, Sam Brooks, Matt Brittin and Malcolm Baker. We are also deeply grateful to those who have committed to the endowment anonymously.