Cornell has announced its first one-day, worldwide online fundraising drive. Cornell Giving Day will commence at midnight (EDT) Wednesday, March 25, and continue until 11:59 p.m. All gifts received on March 25, no matter the size, will count toward the Cornell Giving Day total.

According to Charles Phlegar, vice president for alumni affairs and development, the aim of the day is to rally as many people as possible to create the single biggest day of giving in Cornell history – and, in turn, create an unprecedented wave of support that will benefit programs across the university.

“So many people care about Cornell and its future direction,” said Phlegar. “This is an opportunity for them to join forces with one another and make a tremendous difference in a short period of time. Any gift of any size makes a difference; what matters most is the act of participating in this day of collective action.”

Participate in Giving Day

• Make a secure gift at givingday.cornell.edu.

• Call 800-279-3099 to reach the Cornell Annual Fund, where you can make a secure gift with a credit card.

• Spread the word widely in social media and beyond. The success of Giving Day will depend in large part on the viral nature of the event.

The focus of the event is to raise funds for each college and major unit; however, donors will be able to direct their gifts to any area they choose. $300,000 in challenge money will drive the competitive spirit and ensure that donors’ gifts will go even further on that day than on any other day. To win a share of the challenge funds, colleges and units will engage in friendly competition to raise the most dollars and engage the most donors. Other challenges will focus on participation from young alumni, international donors, alumni in major Reunion years (classes ending in 5 and 0), and various smaller games and competitions unfolding throughout the day in social media. For the entire 24 hours, donors will be able to track live progress updates online.

President David Skorton said that he is excited about Cornell’s first 24-hour fundraising drive: “I’m constantly moved by the remarkable level of spirit and support that alumni, parents and friends show for Cornell. That strong community is one of the things that sets Cornell apart from its peers, and it will be an incredibly powerful force to witness on March 25.”

What difference can one day make? “Our students and faculty accomplish great things every day with the resources available to them – from developing life-saving innovations to writing symphonies to installing water filtration systems in Honduras,” said Phlegar. “One day of support, if enough people step forward, could help them do truly amazing things.”

Said Skorton: “It’s fitting that our first Giving Day is happening during Cornell’s sesquicentennial year, just as we are celebrating the impact that this great university has had on generations of students, on New York and on the world. I know that our faculty, students and alumni will never stop trying to do even more to increase their positive impact.”

To learn more, visit givingday.cornell.edu and follow #cornellgivingday on Twitter, Facebook and Instragram.

Emily Sanders Hopkins is a writer for Alumni Affairs and Development.