On Tuesday, November 27, 2018, Michigan State University’s #GiveGreenDay campaign raised more than $739,000, thanks to more than 4,000 gifts from donors around the world.
The effort coincided with Giving Tuesday, a global day of philanthropy that encourages people to give back following Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
A network of advocates helped spread the word online through social media, encouraging Spartans to support MSU programs, causes and initiatives championed by colleges, units and alumni groups. Only gifts that came in during this 24-hour online campaign were counted as part of the Give Green Day total.
Alumnus Dick Bush and his wife, Patty McGuigan, were this year’s Give Green Day sponsors, putting forth a $50,000 challenge gift to be distributed as a 2:1 match. Interim President John Engler also allocated $100,000 for additional gift matches and bonus money for projects that met their fundraising goals.
Thirty-one campus programs and 65 alumni clubs set fundraising goals for the day. Two major building projects got a big boost from alumni and friends: the Eli Broad College of Business pulled in $71,584 to put toward completion of the new Edward J. Minskoff Pavilion, while the College of Music raised $36,402 in support of the construction of the Billman Music Pavilion.
Three MSU colleges — the College of Arts and Letters, the Honors College and the College of Natural Science — raised thousands for student emergency assistance funds to support students who face financial difficulties or unforeseen expenses.
Around the country, alumni clubs secured 786 gifts totaling $84,761 for their respective club scholarship funds, which help students from their communities realize their dreams of attending MSU.
Give Green Day also was an opportunity for students to show gratitude to donors. Students stopped by tables in the MSU Library, Brody Square and the International Center to write thank-you notes to donors who make a difference at MSU in so many ways.
The campaign’s first gift, $20 from an alumnus in Troy, Mich., came in at exactly 12 a.m. Gifts ranged from $1 to $20,500, and originated from 48 states and 11 countries, including Costa Rica, India, the Netherlands and Indonesia. More than 200 gifts came from students, more than 900 from friends of MSU and more than 2,800 from alumni.
Visit givingday.msu.edu to see social media posts and each project’s results from the day.