UCCS’ 2021 Giving Tuesday tally far outstripped 2020’s record of giving, with donors raising $141,000 for UCCS student scholarships and support services.
While preliminary results showed Giving Tuesday raised more than $100,000 in 2021, gifts continued to roll in after the day of giving, and it took several weeks to tally the final results.
The 2021 donor base represented a wide variety of individuals, from UCCS alumni, employees, parents, community members and even current students. Donors represented alumni from every decade of UCCS’ history and call 40 different states home. The largest gift, totaling $10,000, came from a long-time UCCS donor, while the smallest gift of $1 came from a current student. The average gift summed to $194.
Programs, scholarships and students across the university will benefit from the generosity of UCCS’ donors. Among the funds that received the most support were Clyde’s Cupboard on-campus food pantry, the Wellness Center Support Fund, the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, the Career Center Internship Support Fund, the Multicultural Office for Student Access, Inclusiveness, and Community Support Fund and the Advancing Veterans Success fund.
Giving Tuesday 2021 took place on Nov. 30, 2021 at UCCS. The university raised $77,727 from 400 individual donors, a 70 percent increase from the previous record year, 2015. Seven challenge donations contributed an additional $63,803 to the year’s funds.
“Giving Tuesday is a time to remember why we’re all here – to support student access and achievement,” said Lisa Bartholme, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations. “We are so grateful for the hundreds of donors and sponsors for helping fuel their success.”
Donors who provided Giving Tuesday challenges and matches included Ent Credit Union, the AFCEA Rocky Mountain Chapter, El Pomar Foundation Colorado Assistance Fund, Tidal Breeze Jazz Arts Scholarship Endowment, Lion Realty, Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative, UCCS alumnus Mike Fryt and faculty from the Department of Chemistry at UCCS.
About Giving Tuesday at UCCS
Designated as a global day to give back after the shopping holidays of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday encourages gifts of any size to organizations that make an impact in communities. Since 2015, Giving Tuesday has brought in more than $685,000 for student scholarships and programs at UCCS from faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents and friends.