Georgia Tech fund-raising goal for recruiting staff nearly met

August 4, 2017 Atlanta - Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson watches over the first the first day of Georgia Tech football practice at Rose Bowl Field in Georgia Tech campus on Friday, August 4, 2017. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

August 4, 2017 Atlanta - Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson watches over the first the first day of Georgia Tech football practice at Rose Bowl Field in Georgia Tech campus on Friday, August 4, 2017. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

A fundraising challenge to increase Georgia Tech’s recruiting staff is more than 90 percent of the way toward being met.

More than $185,000 has been pledged by fans and alumni, money that will be matched on a 50 percent basis by an anonymous donor. Tech has a goal of reaching $300,000 (donations plus match) by next Wednesday (national signing day), which would be enough to fund four recruiting staff positions for the coming year.

Athletic director Todd Stansbury and coach Paul Johnson made public the department’s fundraising challenge on January 6. It’s a two-year program – another $300,000 will need to be raised for 2019 – after which Stansbury anticipates that the athletic department will be able to fund the positions through its annual budget.