Faculty and staff members looking to fund innovative projects now have a clear, streamlined way to connect with Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Corporate and Foundation Relations team. The Campus Partner Project Information Form is a new tool designed to help employees explore donations and sponsorship opportunities while ensuring a coordinated, strategic approach to fundraising.
Bringing bold ideas to life
The Campus Partner Project Information Form allows faculty and staff members to share project ideas and get expert guidance from the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations on potential funding sources, proposal development and strategic alignment. While all ideas are welcome, projects that support the Roadrunners Rise campaign pillars will have the strongest funding opportunities through fiscal 2027.
The pillars are:
- Facilitating student success through enhanced academic support and resources.
- Cultivating inclusive excellence by strengthening diversity-and-inclusion efforts.
- Creating classroom-to-career pathways through career-focused programming.
- Addressing Colorado’s talent pipeline by preparing students for high-demand industries.
That said, employees shouldn’t feel limited if their idea doesn’t fit neatly within these categories. The form is about starting the conversation and ensuring that every idea is positioned for success. Some of the University’s most successful funding initiatives, such as the C2 Hub and the Health Institute, started with faculty and staff members bringing forward bold ideas.
“We want people to dream big,” said Louie Pinkerton, Corporate and Foundation Relations coordinator. “The million-dollar ideas don’t come from our office; they come from campus. Our role is to help shape those ideas into compelling proposals and present them in a way that maximizes funding opportunities for MSU Denver. By working together, we can take a strategic approach that turns good ideas into transformational opportunities.”
Why coordination matters
Using the Campus Partner Project Information Form also ensures a coordinated approach to external partnerships, which is key to maintaining strong, long-term relationships with funders. Many of MSU Denver’s corporate and foundation partners have ongoing agreements, and uncoordinated outreach can create confusion or even jeopardize commitments.
“Some funders already provide major gifts, grants or workforce-development support across the University, and multiple uncoordinated requests can lead to overlapping asks or missed opportunities,” Pinkerton said. “By streamlining outreach through Corporate and Foundation Relations, we ensure that every request strengthens — not complicates — our relationships with funders.”
This strategic approach is especially important as MSU Denver continues its Roadrunners Rise campaign, ensuring a unified message and maximized opportunities across the University.
Contacting a foundation or corporation directly?
Check the Centrally Managed Entities list first. If the organization is on the list, you must go through the Corporate and Foundation Relations team because MSU Denver already has an established or developing partnership with the organization or is trying to create a relationship.
Submit your partnership idea or funding need
Whether seeking philanthropic funding, corporate sponsorships or other external financial support, faculty and staff members are encouraged to submit their ideas through the Campus Partner Project Information Form.
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