OWATC Development Director Receives State Outstanding Fundraising Award

The Utah Society of Fundraisers honored the Development Director, Karen Thurber, from the Ogden-Weber Tech College as one of three top fundraisers this week at their annual Fundraising Day in Salt Lake City.  Ms. Thurber received the Outstanding Development Award because of her tenacious ability to raise over $4.5 million for the college from federal, state, corporate and foundation grants, fund raising events, and from individual donors. Major grants received included a $1 million grant to enhance the welding program, a $500,000 grant for the information technology program and, most recently, a $1.1 million YouthBuild grant.

From 2008-2011 Karen spearheaded a capital campaign to fund medical training equipment for the college’s new Barker Family Health Technology Building.  The campaign exceeded its original $1 million goal with $1.4 million raised for equipment and $100,000 raised for the scholarship endowment fund. She also oversees the college’s annual golf tournament, which has raised over $140,000 net over the past four years.

Karen’s experience as a fundraiser and grant writer is extensive. She wrote and administered a $1.2 million Weed and Seed grant and a $1.3 million School-to-Work grants for the Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College while working for Ogden City. She also obtained a $1 million Economic Development Initiative grant and numerous smaller state and federal grants for the City totaling more than an additional $1 million.