Top five BU Giving Day myths—busted!
Posted March 2021
Since 2014, BU Giving Day has been a truly special occasion, connecting worthy causes with supportive donors in the global BU community—a group that included more than 10,000 people in 2022.
Here are some common myths about giving and Giving Day, debunked.
Myth #1: My gift is too small to make an impact
Reality: There’s power in numbers
On Giving Day 2022, BU raised $3.1 million in support of more than 400 causes and programs—and much of that money came from gifts of $25 or less. Collective giving is transformative, with influence across the entire University.
Myth #2: My gift won’t make a real day-to-day difference
Reality: Your gift gives financial flexibility
While BU does plan carefully and allocates budgets accordingly, many donations made on Giving Day give student groups, deans, and others the ability to cover unplanned costs, from emergency needs to exciting new initiatives. Gifts on Giving Day give flexibility—whether they help the club soccer team replace a torn net, enable a student service group to send supplies to the community, or support a college dean’s launch of a new mentorship program.
Myth #3: My gift is just put into a big bucket with other gifts
Reality: 100% of your gift goes where you want it to go
Whether that’s to club ice hockey, emergency financial aid, community service, or…the list goes on and on. When you make your gift to BU (on Giving Day and any other day) you’ll see the opportunity to search and select one or more of the available funds.
Myth #4: Giving is just about the money
Reality: It’s so much more than that
It’s about making an impact in our internal and external communities. And the more donors BU has in a given year, the better its chances of rising in the rankings. Broad support, especially from alumni, is an important factor in rankings, no matter the size of individual gifts.
Myth #5: It doesn’t matter whether I give on Giving Day as opposed to any other day
Reality: Your gift can make a bigger impact on Giving Day
Hundreds of donors have already lined up to sponsor giving challenges, through which they will award matches and bonus funds to causes and groups that perform well on April 11. So your gift could trigger another gift—and more funds for the cause you care about.