Ace your giving day: The 10 best school & university giving days of 2025 (so far)
Giving days aren’t a new tactic. What is evolving, though, is the rapidly shifting landscape of digital-first engagement, fundraising in an AI age, and heightened donor expectations.
In a recent live session, we evaluated your giving day sites live, noting what’s working and where there’s opportunity to make an even greater impact with donors.
In this blog, we’ll break down some of the best giving day sites we saw and how you can replicate their success.
University giving days: A winning strategy for higher ed fundraising
A giving day (also known as a day of giving) is most often a 24-hour fundraising campaign designed to rally supporters, both existing and new, around your mission. It creates a sense of excitement, urgency and friendly competition among your community. Giving days are a great way to re-engage donors and attract new ones. They are also an opportunity to showcase your impact and encourage donors to donate more by leveraging matching gifts and other incentives.
As we roll into the last few months of the year, colleges and universities are gearing up towards Giving Tuesday and year-end giving appeals. We gathered some of the best giving days we’ve seen so far this year and tips to help you get a head start with yours.
Features of high-performing giving day sites
Before we dive into the specific giving day sites and why they worked, it’s important to understand today’s landscape of higher ed giving.
- 72% of giving day gifts come through online channels (Giving USA)
- One-third of alumni donors say a giving day campaign has prompted them to donate (Gravyty, Alumni Trends Report)
So with giving behaviors trending digital, along with a ripe environment for alumni giving, what’s working when it comes to the giving site and form experience?
Some of the common trends of the sites we assessed included:
- Nearly 80% included gamification elements like leaderboards, giving thermometers and ambassador challenges.
- Half of the sites featured ambassador advocate pages and/or toolkits
- 66% featured a donor recognition page or section
- 9 in 10 were mobile-optimized, load quickly and responsive across any device
A+ giving days: 10 college & university giving day sites that work (& why)
1. Texas Lutheran University: Texas Lutheran Day of Giving
Texas Lutheran University created a giving experience that’s easy to scan, navigate, and act on (perfect for busy donors). By focusing on simplicity and clarity, they made it easy to give with confidence.
- Standout feature: Clean, skimmable fund tiles that streamline the giving process
- What we loved: Thoughtful FAQ section that reduces clutter while answering common questions
- Notable strategy: Mobile-friendly layout built to reduce friction and boost completions
2. Kentucky Community & Technical College System: KCTCS Giving Day
With 16 campuses across Kentucky, KCTCS created a unified experience that also celebrates individual communities. This site sets the bar for systems-led campaigns that still feel personal.
- Standout feature: Campus-specific donation pages that localize giving options
- What we loved: Match challenge callouts that drive urgency and boost participation
- Notable strategy: Persistent CTA buttons and clear giving pathways throughout the homepage
3. Boise State University: Bronco Giving Day
Boise State’s campaign made giving day a true campus-wide experience, even for alumni and supporters around the globe. From virtual events to real-time campaign updates, they built momentum and community.
- Standout feature: Virtual and satellite events that foster broad engagement
- What we loved: Emphasis on storytelling and college/unit-specific campaigns
- Notable strategy: Dynamic leaderboard and progress indicators to showcase momentum
How Boise State University got 87% more donors with AI-powered outreach
Boise State has thousands of alumni and annual giving donors in their database. With just four LGOs, the advancement team turned to Gravyty’s integrated donor engagement platform to prioritize and engage donors more effectively.
By pairing their Advance giving day platform with Raise + Gratavid, Boise saw immediate results within the first six months:
- 87% increase in donors year over year
- 50% increase in donor interactions and responses
- $635,679 raised, including $337,416 from new or increased giving
Quinn Anderson,
Director of Advancement Information Systems, Boise State University
4. ‘Iolani School: We Rise For Thee: ‘Iolani Giving Day
ʻIolani School’s Giving Day platform is a masterclass in turning supporters into ambassadors. Their use of social sharing tools and clear visual identity make giving – and spreading the word – feel exciting and accessible.
- Standout feature: Built-in ambassador sign-up with personalized referral links
- What we loved: A polished digital toolkit complete with downloadable social graphics
- Notable strategy: Peer-to-peer emphasis to scale reach and community involvement
5. University of Oklahoma: Bring It Bigger OU Giving Day
OU’s Giving Day site offers a smart, searchable experience for donors with specific interests. With social media baked into the design, the campaign reflects school pride and online energy in equal measure.
- Standout feature: On-page search bar that helps donors find their cause faster
- What we loved: Embedded social feed showcasing live donor shoutouts and shares
- Notable strategy: Clean layout that balances visuals with donation-driving CTAs
Extra credit: 5 more creative university giving day examples
While these campaigns didn’t make it into the live webinar, they stood out for their thoughtful design, strategic elements, and strong storytelling. Each one offers a unique approach that other teams can learn from.
6. Lafayette College: Bring the ROAR
Lafayette’s ROAR Giving Day stood out with its tailored challenges for key supporter groups. The site strikes a smart balance between friendly competition and inclusive engagement.
7. California State University Chico: Chico State Giving Day
Chico State’s Giving Day page is a great example of user-centric design. Their navigation tools make it incredibly easy for donors to find and fund causes they care about.
8. Lipscomb University: Lipscomb Giving Day
A few months ago, we sat down with Lipscomb University to talk about how they seamlessly wove in video-based storytelling throughout their campaign. Their approach is personal, scalable, and proven to convert. Watch the webinar.
Karin Hensley,
Director of Donor Relations, Lipscomb University
9. Southeast Missouri State University: SEMO Giving Day
SEMO’s Giving Day was built for virality. With a detailed ambassador program and full social toolkit, they empowered their community to do the heavy lifting.
10. University of Kansas: One Day. One KU.
KU’s Giving Day campaign highlights how important it is to show donors the impact of their generosity. With a full section devoted to outcomes, they show what their community’s support fuels.
Elevate your next giving day
These campaigns were built using modern, integrated technology that empowers advancement teams to engage donors more effectively, without overwhelming their staff.
At the core of these campaigns is Advance from Gravyty, our powerful digital fundraising platform that helps institutions:
- Build branded, high-converting Giving Day pages
- Track donor activity and giving trends in real-time
- Automate donor follow-up and thank-yous
- Mobilize ambassadors and scale outreach with ease
Want to see Advance in action? Explore our interactive walkthrough to see how Advance helps you run more efficient, data-driven, and donor-centric fundraising campaigns in weeks, not months.
