Members of the UCF community raised more than $843,000 in 24 hours to support UCF during Day of Giving, a 24-hour philanthropic challenge that took place earlier this year.
UCF surpassed its goal of 2,021 donors with a total of 3,166 alumni, parents, friends, students, faculty and staff members contributing to a wide range of funds that will have big impact on students and programs campus wide. The Faculty & Staff Campaign, a month-long employee fundraising effort that concluded on Day of Giving, also surpassed its goal, with 1,353 supporters.
Several one-time challenge gifts also helped to inspire increased giving. Members of the UCF Foundation Board sponsored a $320,800 challenge gift and members of the UCF Alumni Board sponsored $30,850.
A $250,000 gift from Jessica Blume ’80 and her husband, Ken, will support a scholarship program for business students who are the first in their families to attend college. This commitment marks the largest single gift in the history of the UCF Day of Giving campaign.
Day of Giving and the Faculty & Staff Campaign, as well Giving Tuesday (November 30), are some of the short-term and long-range fundraising initiatives supported by the UCF Annual Fund, which seeks to raise funds for academic programs, athletics, scholarships, student support funds and more.