Giving Day Returns
SIPA will once again take part in Columbia Giving Day, an 24-hour celebration of the University that returns for the third time on October 29.
All donations made to SIPA on Giving Day will go directly to the SIPA Annual Fund. As always, gifts to the fund provide fellowship support for SIPA students and programs that benefit students.
Columbia Giving Day also pits Columbia’s various schools against each other in good-natured competition. Schools that excel at various fundraising-based challenges throughout the day can earn additional money for their school.
Each participating school and program will win a share of a $200,000 matching fund based on the percentage of overall donations they garner. The five schools with the highest participation (as a percentage of alumni) will receive an additional share of $75,000 in matching funds.
The bottom line? Make a donation to SIPA on Giving Day and your gift will go further.
Last year’s Giving Day was a great success, raising almost $90,000 in gifts and challenge matching funds for SIPA. Just as this sum represented an increase over the previous year, the goal for 2014 is to beat 2013’s total.
“It’s a way to get people invigorated,” said Maria Vallejo-Nguyen, the SIPA Fund manager. “Columbia alumni are naturally competitive, and Giving Day provides a chance for alumni around the world to show loyalty to SIPA in a way that also raises money for the SIPA Annual Fund. Support a SIPA student and you also support the communities they work with.”
Columbia Giving Day starts at 12:01 a.m. EDT on October 29, but there are ways to get involved before then. Students, alumni, friends, and faculty can sign up to be Giving Day advocates for SIPA—the five schools or programs that have the most advocates by midnight on October 28 will win a share of $26,000. The only commitment is to help raise enthusiasm for Giving Day, so sign up now:
Be a Giving Day Advocate for SIPA
If you just can’t wait to make a gift, you can contact SIPA’s Development Office for more information at [email protected].
For more information or to track SIPA’s progress on Giving Day, visit the Giving Day website.