Record-Setting UB Giving Day
What a difference a day makes! In one 24-hour period last April, donors contributed a record-breaking $1,776,205 in support of UB students, faculty and research.
What made that day so special? April 20 marked the Ninth Annual UB Giving Day, a yearly opportunity for the entire UB community to come together in support of our university. Each year, UB Giving Day donors provide crucial funds to support our students with scholarships and opportunities to participate in programs like study abroad; so faculty can conduct research to solve society’s most pressing issues; and to ensure UB’s three campuses offer the equipment, buildings, services, activities and more that attract and retain the best students, faculty and staff.
More than 2,700 donors let their UB pride shine on Giving Day, making gifts to the departments, programs and causes they find personally meaningful. Special challenges and matches drove competition and excitement, further amplifying support by unlocking bonus funds. For example, President Tripathi’s Giving Day Challenge awarded a total of $15,000 to the three academic departments or units with the greatest number of donors: the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the School of Management and Athletics.
And at the end of the day (literally), the School of Management, the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences brought in the most support overall.
What makes UB Giving Day special is the “power of collective giving,” says Jason Diffenderfer, vice president for university advancement. “Gifts from alumni and friends in Western New York or around the world—in any amount—make a huge impact for our students and the entire university community.”
In addition to each school, the myriad funds supported included the LGBTQ Faculty and Staff Association, the UB Libraries’ James Joyce Museum, Student Life, Athletics and many more. And a $1 million pledge to the School of Management from a longtime supporter secured this effort as the most successful UB Giving Day ever and the latest to top $1 million since 2019.
“We’re so appreciative of all our donors, many of whom generously participate in UB Giving Day year after year,” says Diffenderfer. “We know all gifts significantly influence the student experience at UB, and in turn those students go on to influence others. It’s remarkable what is possible when we come together as one UB community.”
LGBTQ FSA Challenge Receives Overwhelming Support
The 2023 UB Giving Day saw the first-ever challenge in support of the LGBTQ Faculty Staff Association. In 24 hours, 183 donors supported the fund, unlocking multiple challenges along the way and raising a total of $11,195. As one of the most-supported causes on Giving Day, donors helped the organization fulfill its mission to contribute to and support a welcoming and inclusive university community for LGBTQ faculty and staff through education, networking and advocacy. The organization offers faculty and staff members opportunities to engage, funds a Pride Scholarship for students and is also pursuing an LGBTQ+ resource center.