A supersized Day of Giving wrapped up yesterday at Fresno State, spanning 1,911 minutes — in honor of the University’s founding year — instead of the usual 24 hours. According to preliminary results, 1,780 Fresno State alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends gave online donations to help support colleges, schools or programs that drive their passion.
This year’s results represent a 3.61% increase in the number of individual donors and a 1.51% increase in the number of gifts, compared to last year, a sign of strong engagement from Fresno State supporters. This included gifts from 512 Fresno State employees.
“We are thrilled with the success of this year’s Day of Giving,” said Paula Castadio, vice president for University Advancement. “The purpose of this 1,911-minute digital giving campaign is to support student success at Fresno State and deepen a culture of philanthropy on campus and in our community.”
The sixth annual Day of Giving went from 5 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, through 12:51 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3. Gifts came in from 39 states and four countries including Canada, Great Britain, Norway and the United States.
Preliminary estimates show that donors contributed $459,632. While this is 5.53% lower than last year’s total, the purpose of Day of Giving has always been about engagement and giving at every level with the message that every gift matters, no matter how small.
The digital fundraising campaign encouraged donors to make a gift to one of Fresno State’s eight schools and colleges, athletics or the campus division or program of their choice.
All funds raised will be used for programs and initiatives to help fulfill Fresno State’s mission to educate and empower our students for success. Donations directly benefit students with scholarships, internship programs, research and improved learning spaces.
A live leaderboard tracked the money raised throughout the day, providing minute-by-minute updates on the campaign’s website, https://dayofgiving.fresnostate.edu.
Fresno State’s Day of Giving began in 2017 as part of a growing national trend for dedicated giving days that have become popular at many universities across the nation. Since it began, Day of Giving has raised more than $2.8 million.
