For Lora Hollingsworth, every gift is more than just a donation—it’s a story waiting to be told. With her passion for connecting people’s legacies with causes they care about, Hollingsworth is building lasting relationships that will help shape the future of the university. She joined UCSC as Executive Director of Gift Planning in the summer of 2023.
When Hollingsworth talks about philanthropy, her eyes light up with passion and determination.
“I love advancing the university’s mission,” she says, “and by guiding donors through gift planning, I help them achieve their personal, financial and philanthropic goals.”
Hollingsworth (College Nine ’06, Anthropology) is a dedicated nonprofit development professional with 16 years of experience building donor relationships and facilitating meaningful philanthropic giving. She began her career as a fundraiser in community-based nonprofits. For the past eight years, she has worked in higher education, focusing on large and planned giving. Hollingsworth is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz and holds a master’s degree in Latin American studies from the University of Texas, Austin. She is a certified planned giving specialist from the American Institute for Philanthropic Studies at CSU Long Beach.
Hollingsworth became interested in planned giving because it allows her to help donors structure a gift that makes sense to them and benefits the cause they want to support. She enjoys learning about people’s philanthropic interests as well as their financial, personal and family desires to provide them with gift options that meet their goals. Her love of learning inspires her to stay up to date on current best practices and financial and legal changes to help donors make the gifts they want to make and leave a lasting legacy.
“The best thing about planned giving is that I can work with donors and help them find ways to make a meaningful gift that they may not have imagined,” she says. “Perhaps it’s a gift in their will or estate plans that they can envision leaving a legacy. Maybe they’re not sure they can make a gift today, but know they want to do something meaningful that will last beyond their lifetime. Or maybe it’s a gift of assets that won’t impact their cash and can provide additional tax benefits. I enjoy exploring with donors the options that will allow them to make a larger, more meaningful and impactful gift than they might have thought possible.”
Hollingsworth tells the story of a donor who wanted to donate scholarships for students in memory of his wife, a teacher who had died unexpectedly. They sat together at his kitchen table and he told her about the values that were most important to his wife. By the end of their first conversation, she says, she felt like she knew his wife, her accomplishments and the many lives she touched throughout her career.
“It was clear that creating such a permanent scholarship in his wife’s name was the most meaningful way for him to honor her life,” says Hollingsworth. “Together, we created a scholarship that we both believed reflected his wife’s values and met the needs of our students. It is an honor to partner with people who want to make a difference through philanthropy and to see these gifts make an impact.”
Hollingsworth is excited about the future of planned giving at UC Santa Cruz, noting that exciting new events and opportunities for greater engagement among Legacy Circle members will soon be launched. The Legacy Circle recognizes donors who have informed the university that they have included UC Santa Cruz in their wills or other financial plans.
“We have a vibrant campus with students and faculty doing inspiring and interesting work,” she says. “I look forward to inviting our committed donors to experience our educational and research missions firsthand.”
For more information about UC Santa Cruz’s planned giving program or to contact Hollingsworth directly, visit plannedgifts.ucsc.edu.
