The most successful program of its kind, Columbia Giving Day (October 26), is around the corner. Christina Sebastian, director for annual fund programs, and Allen Rosso, executive director for Columbia Causes, gave Campaign Countdown a preview of Columbia Giving Day 2016.
1. What’s new about Giving Day this year?
Christina: Check out our new Giving Day website, designed to make it easy to support the schools, programs, and causes that are most important to you. Individuals can have their own personalized fundraising page—designed specifically to raise dollars for the causes they care most deeply about. There’s something for everyone—demonstrating the many ways you can give through Columbia to change lives that change the world.
2. What’s happening with crowdfunding?
Allen: In addition to raising annual funds for schools and units, this year we’ll be featuring causes, including Health and Wellness, Climate Response, and Social Justice. Alumni and non-alumni alike will find projects appealing to their individual passions. For example, you can help digitize the archives of legendary radio producer Bob Fass, fund buoys tracking oceanic ice loss in Antarctica, or support the College Young Alumni Challenge. And all gifts made on the crowdfunding website count toward school and unit leaderboards.
3. What are you doing differently with data this year?
Christina: We’re collecting everything from Twitter handles to interests and affiliations—and it will be uploaded to Athena. We hope stories from the Giving Day community will be posted across social media channels and a variety of other platforms.
4. As staff members, how can we participate?
Allen: With project-based giving, there are even more opportunities for all of us to come together to help Columbia address the critical issues of our time. For more information about setting up a crowdfunding project, e-mail [email protected] by Wednesday, September 28. And, of course, join faculty, alumni, students, friends, and other staff members by giving to your favorite Columbia cause on October 26.
Christina: We hope everyone will be an active participant. Here are a few easy things to do:
Sign up to be a Giving Day Insider by texting CGD2016 to 444999 and be the first to get updates. Also, become a social ambassador and share exclusive content with your networks. Don’t forget to make a gift. We all want Columbia Giving Day 2016, our fifth, to be the best one yet.
For more on Columbia Giving Day 2016 and how you can participate, visit the Columbia Giving Day blog.