Fifteen days after starting its “Hold The Line” campaign, the Heels4Life group has reached its target and is eager to keep up the fundraising pace.
Chapel Hill, North Carolina — For Heels4Life, the nonprofit in charge of setting up Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals for North Carolina football players, consider the short-term goal completed.
This month, on January 15, the collective launched a new campaign with the goal of generating $1 million in donations in the next two weeks. They have set a minimum fundraising objective of $5 million for the year 2024. Heels4Life reached the $1 million milestone on Tuesday, fifteen days later.
According to Heels4Life executive director Graham Boone, “the success of the ‘Hold The Line’ campaign is an expression of this fan base’s support of our athletes,” Inside Carolina was told. “Every donation was valued, and we sincerely thank each and every one of you.
“Our work is not finished. We’re not done yet, but this is a fantastic breakthrough that will have an immediate influence on our work. Businesses and new donations are still needed to support us in maintaining this momentum.
In order to achieve this, Boone and COO Colleen Minton have employed “the most significant public outreach and request that Heels4Life has made since we founded the company” to highlight the unique sense of urgency and gravity driving this specific endeavor in the fiercely competitive off-the-field race that college football collectives are engaged in via the NCAA transfer portal.
Any NIL collective’s goal is to successfully acquire transfer portal players while simultaneously defending and maintaining the team’s roster. Getting 5,000 more people to join Heels4Life is another ambitious aim Boone and Minton have stated they have for 2024. The following link will take you to the organization’s website.
Boone declared, “Collectives are community-reliant organizations, as I have said publicly.” Though things might change in the future, right now, no software could function without a robust collective. This campaign demonstrates our capacity to create and maintain such growth.
“We wanted to connect with all Tar Heel supporters, both past and present. We attempted to contact you if you are a true Carolina blue. And we were able to get a variety of monthly subscriptions, one-time contributions, and new large donors because of the people who liked and shared our postings.
This offseason, UNC has added seven new players via the free agent market: offensive linemen Austin Blaske (Georgia), Howard Sampson (North Texas), and Zach Greenberg (Muhlenberg); quarterback Max Johnson and tight end Jake Johnson (from Texas A&M); running back Darwin Barlow (Southern California); defensive back Jakeen Harris (NC State). The Tar Heels are expected to be busy shoppers from April 15–30, which is the spring transfer window.
Since November 27, fourteen members of UNC’s 2023 roster, including offensive lineman Diego Pounds, a starter, have accessed the transfer site.
A local product of Raleigh, North Carolina’s Millbrook High School, the mammoth 6-foot-5, 330-pound Pounds made eight starts as a sophomore this past season and was regarded as the Tar Heels’ left tackle of the future. According to sources, Pounds wavered in his decision before deciding to transfer to Ole Miss, an SEC school renowned for providing generous financial aid to prospective students.
Heels4Life’s off-season work helped UNC retain both star quarterback Drake Maye and standout linebacker Cedric Gray. Name-brand titans reportedly made massive offers to Maye, while Gray might have left for the NFL Draft. Tez Walker was also assisted by Heels4Life in getting through the NCAA eligibility controversy that cost the transfer receiver the first four games of the 2023 campaign.
