UT Martin Official Received President's Award
The University of Tennessee Foundation recognized a fundraising leader for driving growth in annual giving.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Philanthropy
The University of Tennessee Foundation named Matt Borden, director of annual giving at UT Martin, as a 2026 President's Award recipient. The award honors staff who have advanced philanthropic participation, alumni engagement, and university system support.
Why it matters
The recognition highlights a shift toward performance-based fundraising metrics within higher education institutions in Tennessee. Borden was selected for transforming annual giving through innovation and a strategic focus on student success outcomes.
Matt Borden was one of 6 individuals selected for the 2026 President's Award by a committee of previous honorees. The institution limits the award to 6 recipients annually to recognize excellence in fundraising and engagement across the university system.
The players
Matt Borden
The director of annual giving at the University of Tennessee at Martin who focuses on fundraising innovation and student success.
University of Tennessee Foundation
The private, non-profit organization that manages fundraising, investments, and gift administration for the statewide University of Tennessee system.
The details
The President's Award process relies on peer and supervisor nominations, followed by a selection committee comprised of former recipients. Borden earned the distinction by implementing innovative annual giving strategies that increased donor participation and alumni connectivity at the UT Martin campus.
Timeline
Matt Borden received the University of Tennessee President's Award in 2026.
Market Landscape
Public universities are increasingly adopting corporate-style incentives to modernize development offices and donor relations. This award mirrors institutional efforts to formalize metrics for alumni engagement and philanthropic yield across large, multi-campus university systems.
Operators in the non-profit sector should monitor which fundraising metrics lead to internal recognition and organizational resource allocation. Tracking the operational success of peer-led development programs can offer benchmarks for your own engagement and donor retention strategies.
The takeaway
Recognizing top performers in fundraising is a key strategy for maintaining steady growth in donor engagement. Leaders should evaluate the specific innovation methods used by award recipients to replicate successful philanthropic models in their own organizations.
Further reading
Read more about how institutional donors are managed within the Philanthropy sector.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Thunderbolt Radio.
