Valet parking at the Stan Sheriff Center and a personal parking stall at Aloha Stadium are two new benefits the University of Hawaii’s athletic fundraising organization, will offer fans for 2015-16.

They are part of an overhaul of the benefit structure in the H Club Athletic Fund scheduled to be introduced to season ticket holders and donors in coming days, ‘Ahahui Koa Anuenue President Jonathan Kobayashi said.

In addition, AKA said it is commencing its first Kokua AKA program, "Apples for Athletes," a campaign to fund the $375,000 annual cost of a supplemental meal program for athletes, and "Coaches’ Choice" a program to assist with smaller team-by-team needs.

Details are to come shortly through mail and on a new website, www.koaanuenue.org, officials said.

AKA is the 48-year-old organization charged with helping to underwrite scholarship costs and other needs for the 21-sport department.

But as UH teams, most notably football, have struggled in recent years, donations have dropped from a high of $2.95 million in 2012 to $2.64 million in 2014, according to auditor’s reports, and could drop to $2.5 million for the fiscal year that closes June 30.

Kobayashi, a lawyer and businessman who took over AKA 11 months ago, said, through surveys "we learned that supporters were looking for more ways to get involved that offered even more benefits and value, like reserved parking stalls, invitations to pregame receptions and valet parking."

Kobayashi said, "Our job is to enhance the fan experience while providing more financial support for the school. The new H Club Athletic Fund achieves all of this."

Under the new structure, officials say, seven membership levels — from $50 to $21,000 and above — will be calculated by adding 2015 philanthropic gifts to the amount of premium seat contributions paid in 2014-15.

For example, a season ticket holder paying $175 for 2014 Rainbow Wahine volleyball season premium seat contribution who then donated $175 would qualify for the $350 (varsity) level.

Previously, levels had been determined by season ticket packages.

A spokesman said, "No current season ticket holder, sports package or not, is at any risk of losing their current season tickets. They all retain their rights to renew their tickets."

UH has made reserved parking available at Aloha Stadium for five years through an online auction, but beginning this fall, Kobayashi said, contributors will have it included in their levels or may purchase the rights to keep the same stalls all season. For example, officials said, a group of friends can band together and purchase several adjoining stalls that will be guaranteed for them whenever they arrive at the stadium.

Similarly, valet parking for men’s basketball and Rainbow Wahine volleyball will be included in the highest level and be available for purchase at two other levels.

Kobayashi said, "We needed to figure how to create this exclusivity that is worth the money that they are going to pay."

But Kobayashi said contributors of more modest means are also being offered opportunities to contribute via the debuting "Coaches’ Choice" program. Coaches of all 21 teams — plus equipment room, weight room and training room — designate smaller, basic needs such as practice jerseys for Rainbow Wahine basketball, where donors can see immediate and tangible benefits of giving.

"For as little as $10, people can say, ‘I’m giving to the blocking sled, or I’m giving to the timer for the practice gym …" said Brandt Farias, director of brand identity and marketing.

Similarly, Farias said AKA is seeking donors of varied levels to help underwrite a meal program now that the NCAA permits a year-round training table and unlimited meals for scholarship and non-scholarship athletes and so-called Power Five schools have seized upon it as a recruiting advantage.

"We want to put a campaign together similar to what Keith Amemiya did a few years back, the ("Save Our Schools") campaign for high school sports."

Kobayashi said, "everyone wants the home run, but, to me, it is a series of small wins that make (big) wins."

H Club Athletic Fund

>> Combines philanthropic giving and premium seat contributions to determine benefit levels for donors.

>> Levels range from $50 to $21,000 and above.

Kokua AKA

>> Debuting annual campaign to raise funds for the athletic department’s highest priority needs as determined by the department and AKA.

>> The 2015 project is “Apples for Athletes,” a project to fund a $375,000 annual meal program.

Coaches’ Choice 

>> Donations of $10 or more are used to target specific needs as identified by coaches of UH’s 21 teams, plus training, weight and equipment rooms.