COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The University of Maryland raised more than $3.75 million on its ninth annual Giving Day, held on March 9 - an increase of 39 percent from the previous year. The 24-hour giving challenge raised money to support the university’s core missions, which include learning, teaching, research, the arts, student life and public service initiatives.
“Today is a day of thanks,” said UMD President Darryll J. Pines. “Terrapin generosity allowed us to spring past our Giving Day goal, supporting more student opportunities, research, arts and athletics. To our champions, alumni, students, faculty, staff, family and friends who made this year so special—thank you.”
Donors were able to give to a wide variety of funds and programs dedicated to schools/colleges, athletics, libraries, performing arts and Greek and student organizations. Donors also had the option to support university funds, including the Keep Me Maryland Fund, UMD Student Crisis Fund and the Student Success Emergency Scholarship.
Athletics led in dollars raised with $548,366 followed by the Robert H. Smith School of Business with $360,390 raised.
Incentives were offered to rally specific groups of donors at certain times throughout the 24 hours. The College of Arts and Humanities and Maryland Smith each earned an additional $2,500 for having the most alumni donors in the morning and again in the evening, while the Division of Student Affairs, Office of Diversity and Inclusion and College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences topped other categories.
The ninth annual event’s total was a remarkable surge, attributable partly to the roughly $775,000 available in matching funds from UMD supporters. Donors who gave to the Clark Challenge for the Maryland Promise, a need-based scholarship program for undergraduate students from underserved populations in the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia, will have gifts matched dollar for dollar by the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation and the University of Maryland.
Since its launch in 2013, UMD Giving Day has raised more than $13 million from the UMD community.