Conference Chair

Matt Donovan
Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development
University of Indianapolis

Matt Donovan is in his eighth year as associate athletic director for development at the University of Indianapolis. He joined the athletic department in 1999 to build financial support for Greyhound Athletics by spearheading the growth of the Greyhound Club. With a dedicated board of directors, the Greyhound Club recently surpassed the 1,400 membership mark since its inception in 1997.

Under Donovan’s leadership, the Greyhound Club has surpassed the $1.1 million mark in annual gifts to the organization. The club initiated the Crimson & Grey Member Drive in 2003. During that year, membership in the Greyhound Club brought in 225 new members, including the underwriting of all 76 graduating student athletes for their membership. Donovan also oversees the marketing and promotions for the department and negotiates the university’s TV contracts for the UIndy Television Network. He has created a comprehensive partnership program that has netted over $275,000 in sponsor dollars in three years and has established a planned giving society that has secured over $200,000 in future commitments to the university.

Prior to joining the athletics department, Donovan worked as the UIndy director for annual giving, building a 15 percent increase over four years. In that role, he created and implemented new solicitation programs for parents, faculty/staff, and advanced degree recipients, raising record amounts from each.

He has an extensive background in fundraising, having served as project director for "The Campaign for Penn" in 1993-1994 at the University of Pennsylvania and as associate project director for the Purdue University Phone-A-Thon in 1991-1993. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Western Illinois University and is on the National Association of Athletic Development Directors Executive Committee.