Washington State University crossed the $1 million fundraising threshold for the second consecutive year Wednesday, April 16, during the 11th annual #CougsGive day of giving.
During the 24-hour campaign, which ran from midnight to midnight, donors made a combined 1,451 gifts for $1,056,226.
Every WSU campus and college received donor support on Wednesday, with gifts benefiting 225 unique funding areas, including departments, student organizations, Cougar Athletics, WSU Libraries, WSU Extension, and the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.
#CougsGive is WSU’s annual 24-hour giving day. Launched in 2015 to mark the university’s 125th anniversary, the event connects donors across the Cougar network with the students, programs, and places they care about most.
“This year’s #CougsGive makes a statement about what’s possible when the Cougar family comes together,” said Mike Connell, vice president of advancement and CEO of the WSU Foundation. “Breaking the $1 million mark for the second year in a row is cause for celebration, but today’s success isn’t measured in dollars alone. It’s measured in the opportunities it creates for students, the momentum it builds for our academic and research work, and the confidence Cougs continue to show in Washington State University. I’m grateful to everyone who gave, shared, and helped make this a day of real, lasting impact across WSU.”
The #CougsGive day of giving connects donors across the Cougar network with the students, programs, and places they care about most.
Powered by peer-to-peer sharing, unlockable bonus gifts, and a spirit of friendly competition, the Cougar community showed up in force. Cougar Ambassadors — donors and supporters who create personalized profiles on the #CougsGive website and share fundraising links with their networks — inspired 257 gifts for $25,359 during the event.
WSU’s challenge donors helped set the stage for success before #CougsGive even began. In the weeks leading up to the campaign, they committed 68 gifts worth a record-high $544,400 as either dollar-for-dollar matches or unlockable rewards for participating campuses, colleges, and programs.
“It’s invigorating to be part of this campaign and see how the WSU community comes through every year,” said Spencer Farrin, director of annual giving and executive director of #CougsGive. “People were giving, sharing, and promoting philanthropy from the early morning hours through the final moments of the evening on Wednesday to make sure we achieved our challenges and provided the most resources to students. There really is no match for Cougar pride.”
Since 2015, Cougs have made 14,077 gifts totaling $6,738,639 through #CougsGive.
