What is Fundsy? This Boise fundraiser returns to its roots to help build new YMCA

You’ve probably heard of Fundsy, a local nonprofit organization that some say is the longest-serving charity in the Treasure Valley — incorporated in 1967.

Every other year, the Fundsy gala raises money for a selected local charity.

Technically, and officially, Fundsy today is an acronym for “Funds Serving You.”

But Fundsy originally stood for “Funds for the Y,” when it got its start in 1967 to raise money to help complete the construction of a new YMCA in downtown Boise, the one we all know and love at 11th and State streets.

More than half a century later, Fundsy is returning to its roots.

This year’s gala, scheduled for May 4 at the Boise Centre, will benefit construction of a new Downtown Y, planned for the other side of State Street between 10th and 11th streets.

“Not everybody makes that connection (between Fundsy and the Y) and are probably unaware of the genesis of Fundsy,” David Duro, president and CEO of the Treasure Valley Family YMCA, told me in an interview. “And why this makes so much sense and why it’s poetic, that it’s back now benefiting the Y.”

The YMCA has been in Boise since 1891, one of the longest-serving institutions — if not the longest-serving institution — in the city, if not all of Idaho.

And the Y has evolved along with the state’s capital.

It’s fitting that this year’s Fundsy — which was created for the sole purpose of completing construction of the downtown Y — is being dedicated to completing the next generation of the downtown Y. The new building will be the fourth Downtown Boise Y.

“This next iteration will really reflect everything that’s happening in the greater community, what the needs really are, and will take it to that next step,” Duro said. “It’s just that symbiotic evolution that’s happening between the community and the Y.”

The new Y will be 98,000 square feet and include an aquatic center, cardio floor, weight room, sports performance space and gymnasium, group exercise studios, a healthy living center, a child development center with a licensed child care program, a two-story indoor playground, a dedicated programming space to serve individuals and families with diverse abilities, a youth activity center, a maker space and an intergenerational room.

That’s just the Y part.

Three other buildings, including apartments, commercial space and parking, are also planned on the south side of the same block. The current YMCA building and property will be sold and developed once the new Y is up and running.

That will bring an end to that chapter of what’s been a long history of the YMCA in Boise.

Downtown YMCA

The YMCA bought the city block between 10th and 11th and State and Washington streets in 1962 from the Methodist Church, and the church was demolished in 1963. Previous YMCA buildings were at 10th and Grove streets (1902-1922) and 10th and Idaho streets (1922-1968).

By early 1966, the Y had raised a little over a million dollars for a new Y. Though short of the goal by $400,000, ground was broken on July 8, 1966.

“We desperately needed a new Y, and so the decision makers at the time decided to move forward and get it going to break ground,” Duro said. “We really sort of faltered, because we got the construction going, and then we ran out of money, and the building actually sat for a while. The shell of the building was finished, and the concrete for the pool poured, but that was it.”

And that’s the “why” in the story of the beginning of Fundsy.

Fundsy was created when a group of Idaho CEOs and executives, led by former Idaho Gov. Robert Smylie, banded together to get the Y building completed.

Local companies Boise Cascade and Simplot made challenge grants, and the first Fundsy Auction was planned to close the funding gap.

A look through old issues of the Idaho Statesman shows regular updates of new items being donated for auction, including a Ford Thunderbird, a Volkswagen, a canoe, a set of tires, a telescope, mink stoles, an elk hunting trip, even a crane and a burro, which ironically was purchased by the state chairman of the Republican Party. Good thing an elephant was not available for bid.

The GOP chairman, John McMurray, said he would donate the burro to the Democratic Party for President Lyndon Johnson to ride to work every morning.

Miss Boise College, Dianne Norris, served as Miss Fundsy and appeared regularly in photos when new items were donated. John Pengilly, then the manager of The Downtowner, was head of the procurement department, and Robert Miller, assistant to the publisher of the Idaho Statesman, was head of production.

“It was an all-out effort to get that thing up and serving the population,” Duro said. “It was not to be denied.”

More than 300 people attended the auction, which was held from 8 p.m. “until after midnight,” according to the Statesman, on July 21, 1967, at the Elks Ballroom. It raised $38,000.

The next year, Fundsy raised $71,000, divided between the YMCA and Booth Memorial Hospital.

In 1969, Fundsy actually auctioned off a house on Highland View Drive, and proceeds were divided among three charities, including the Boise YMCA. That year, $170,000 was raised.

On April 14, 1969, 2 years and 9 months after the project started, the Downtown Y finally opened.

A bucket brigade carried water from the pool at the old Y to christen the new pool, which is a fitting tradition. They did the same thing when the West Y was opened.

Duro noted that at the end of each Y summer camp, they save the ashes from the last fire of the season and use them for the first fire of the next season.

The 1970 gala raised $70,000 for four organizations, including the YMCA and the YWCA, and the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

By 1972, organizers decided to expand Fundsy to “Funds Serving You” to help other nonprofits with capital projects through brick-and-mortar projects.

Over the past 57 years, Fundsy has raised nearly $9 million for more than 45 nonprofits in and around Boise, such as the Anne Frank Memorial, Idaho Black History Museum, Boise Art Museum and Camp Rainbow Gold. If you’ve heard of a local nonprofit, it probably was helped by Fundsy at one point.

Fundraising efforts for new Y

The YMCA portion of the new project is estimated to cost $80 million, according to Duro.

About $72.3 million has been raised, leaving about $8 million still needed.

Contributions have included money from the sale of property, money from St. Luke’s, the Sturgis Family Foundation, CapEd, a $4 million federal earmark secured by U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, a $1 million contribution from the Idaho Workforce Development Council for the child care portion, and commitments from other foundations, individuals and corporations.

Duro said fundraising up to this point has been mostly behind the scenes, and he’s hoping that Fundsy will be the start of a more public-facing “cause campaign.”

“I think this is really meant to be the starting gun for the next phase of the campaign to carry us to the finish line,” Duro said. “So we’re counting upon those people who are there and the notoriety of Fundsy to really help set that tone for us.”

If all goes well, the plan is to get started with construction in August. From there, construction is expected to take about two years.

Having a successful Fundsy will be a big part of getting this done.

“When you do an event like Fundsy, it just means everybody’s putting their shoulder to the wheel and really believes in our community — the Boise community and the Y community — and wants this to continue to be the best place ever to raise a family and to live, grow and thrive,” Duro said. “So I think that symbolism of everyone coming together united around a cause, that really is undeniable.”

Tickets still available

Tickets are still available for the Fundsy gala, 5 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at the Boise Centre on the Grove. Go to www.ymcatvidaho.org/event/2024-fundsy-gala/