West Virginia University supporters on Day of Giving Wednesday, March 22, will have many opportunities to amplify the reach of their gifts through a variety of challenges scheduled for the day.
This year marks the sixth WVU Day of Giving, which supports the University’s greatest priorities and opportunities, as well as scholarships and unrestricted funds at both the University and unit-specific levels. The 24-hour fundraising event is organized by the WVU Foundation and encompasses the entire WVU System.
Donors can unlock additional dollars for the areas of WVU that matter most to them by taking part in day-long and hourly challenges on Wednesday. Among the all-day challenges:
- The top three participating groups with the most faculty and staff gifts by the end of the day on March 22 win additional funding.
- The top three registered Day of Giving ambassadors who inspire the most gifts through their unique URL will win additional funding to their program/unit of choice.
- Three donors who creatively use Twitter or Instagram to share that they made a gift on March 22 will be selected to receive additional funding for the units they tag. Donors must use the share feature from the confirmation page after making their donation and use #WVUDayofGiving and #IGave.
Hourly challenges offer exciting opportunities to secure additional funds based on participation, dollar amount raised, social media engagement and more. Some of the highlights include:
- From midnight–1 a.m. ET, the top three participating groups with the most gifts during the day’s opening hour will win additional funding.
- From 9–10 a.m. ET, supporters can share their favorite campus photo on Twitter or Instagram to earn additional funding for the top three tagged campus units.
- From 10–11 a.m. ET, the top three participating groups with the most gifts from WVU alumni will win additional funding.
- From noon–1 p.m. ET, the top three participating groups with the most first-time donor gifts will win additional funding.
- From 4-5 p.m. ET, Mountaineer moms and dads can post pictures of their children in WVU gear on Twitter or Instagram. Three creative posts will be selected to earn additional funding for tagged units.
- From 7-8 p.m. ET, three of the most creative posts featuring pets donning WVU gear will earn additional funding for tagged units.
- From 9-10 p.m. ET, the Country Roads Challenge calls for participants to record a video of themselves on Twitter or Instagram singing or performing “Country Roads” to help their favorite unit or program. Three of the most creative posts will be selected to earn additional funding for tagged units.
- From 11–midnight ET, the top three participating groups with the most gifts in the day’s final hour will win additional funding.
All social media posts must include #WVUDayofGiving. Supporters are encouraged to visit the WVU Day of Giving website and click the “Challenges” tab for full instructions and a complete list of challenges – two pre-Day of Giving challenges are already under way.
Donations on Wednesday can be made online at dayofgiving.wvu.edu where participants can also stay updated on challenge winners, live leaderboards and the donor wall. Gifts of $5 or more are accepted throughout the day.
Students, faculty and staff will also have the opportunity to participate in WVU Day of Giving across the Morgantown campus on Wednesday from 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the Mountainlair and the Health Sciences Center. Information tables will be set up for people to learn more about WVU Day of Giving, make a gift and enjoy refreshments.
In its first five years combined, WVU Day of Giving has raised nearly $48 million to benefit WVU students and programs.
“We can’t thank our donors enough for their support each year,” said Kristen Shipp, WVU Foundation executive director of annual giving. “Gifts of all sizes truly make a difference, helping students find their purpose and carrying out the land-grant mission of WVU across West Virginia.”