UW Giving Day Raises More Than $80,000

The University of Wyoming’s second annual UW Giving Day was a success, raising more than $80,000 in gifts and pledges in a single day -- money that will help students and the faculty, staff and programs that support them.

“Giving Day is a relatively new idea, and UW’s involvement is newer still,” says John Small, UW Foundation senior associate vice president for development. “It’s a great way for the university to engage with new audiences and in areas that might otherwise not receive as much support. I hope this becomes a real part of UW’s traditions on an annual basis.”

UW Giving Day -- falling on Nov. 29 this year -- is an annual tradition held in conjunction with Giving Tuesday that takes place the Tuesday after Thanksgiving from midnight to midnight.

One hundred three donors gave gifts ranging from $4 to thousands of dollars in support of areas across campus and out into the state. Donations came from across the U.S. and around the world.

Donors supported the colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering and Applied Science, Health Sciences and Law. They supported units such as the Alumni Association, American Heritage Center, the Department of Athletics, Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Honors Program, Outreach School, School of Energy Resources, Division of Student Affairs, UW Art Museum and UW Libraries.

Donors also supported student scholarships and more specific programs such as the Center for Global Studies, cheerleading, Makerspace and the Rapid Response Agriculture Fund, among others.

“Incredible results can happen in one day,” says Candace Paradis, UW Foundation director of annual giving. “Giving Day is a simple way to make a huge impact on our campus -- for students, faculty and staff. These gifts will provide countless opportunities for UW.”

UW Giving Day is an online event with the motto, “What a difference a day makes!” Fundraising efforts, spearheaded by the UW Foundation, were supported by social media posts by colleges, units and programs across campus, and participants were encouraged to share their giving on Facebook and other social media.

UW Giving Day is more than just the total money raised, however. It also is about creating a culture of philanthropy, gratitude and giving back -- not only at the university, but across the state. It’s about bringing together all those who love Wyoming and its university, and uniting them behind the common purposes of education, research and service.

This day is part of the Giving Tuesday tradition, which connects individuals, communities and organizations around the world in one common purpose -- to celebrate and encourage giving. From its very first year, individuals and organizations have joined forces to collaborate across sectors, to offer expertise and to work tirelessly for a successful annual Giving Tuesday. The movement continues to gain momentum.

Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration that kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. It follows traditional shopping days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

The Giving Tuesday tradition began in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation in response to the commercialization of the holiday season. They partnered with Mashable, Skype and Cisco. Later, Microsoft, Sony and many more organizations came on board. That first year, at least $10.1 million was raised and, in 2015, at least $117 million was raised, according to the Case Foundation.