Giving Day 2026: BU’s Biggest Philanthropic Event Returns for 12th Year Wednesday
BU’s annual Giving Day is April 8. Supporters can donate to any of their favorite BU organizations, academic programs, and scholarship funds.
Giving Day 2026: BU’s Biggest Philanthropic Event Returns for 12th Year Wednesday
Annual one-day fundraiser will support 750 organizations and initiatives across the University
Boston University is hosting its annual Giving Day on Wednesday, April 8, and is hoping to expand on the record-setting $4.5 million raised from nearly 12,700 donors over 24 hours in 2025. This year, supporters are encouraged to “Do It for Boston University” by supporting any of their favorites among BU’s hundreds of organizations and academic programs and the scholarship funds that mean the most to them. The BU community will buzz with activity online and at several on-campus events, encouraging all Terriers to participate. Consistently BU’s biggest single day of philanthropy, Giving Day gets support from a quarter of all BU donors, including first-time donors, which last year numbered 3,500.
Every gift, of any amount, made through midnight EDT on April 8 will count toward Giving Day fundraising totals. Early giving is also encouraged, and new this year, donors can unlock additional funds with the “Giving Day Eve Challenge.” The cause with the most donors on April 7, from 12:01 am to 11:59 pm EDT, will win $1,000 in bonus funds. Donors can support BU now by visiting give.bu.edu/giving-day.
Gifts can be maximized through several other matches and challenges throughout the day on April 8, including matches specific to certain organizations and hourly challenges like the “Morning Scramble”—awarded to the cause with the most unique donors from 8 to 10 am—and the “Student Giving Challenge”—awarded to the cause with the most student donors from 4 to 7 pm. These challenges can have a huge impact on a cause’s success on Giving Day. In 2025, the BU chapter of Her Campus earned $4,500 in challenge funds alone.
With 750 funds available to support this Giving Day, donors are encouraged to make gifts that are personally meaningful. Among the causes represented this year:
- The You Are Why campaign for research at BU, including the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), the Future Scholars Fund, supporting PhD fellowships, and the Research Futures Fund, supporting faculty engaged in convergent research
- The BU Launchpad Fund, supporting experiential learning opportunities for first-year students
- Scholarships, including the BU Alumni Association Scholarship Fund and the General Scholarship Fund
- Campus Life, including the Student Leadership & Impact Center (SLIC), the Newbury Center for first-generation students, and the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground
- BU Athletics, Club Sports, and Student Clubs & Organizations
Donors can also support specific schools and colleges or provide flexible support across the University through the Area of Greatest Need Fund.
Several on-campus events are happening this week, encouraging staff, faculty, and students to make a gift on Giving Day. On Monday, BU hosted a pep rally at the George Sherman Union (GSU), followed by the Terrier Hunt, where the first six students who found plush Rhett toys hidden around campus won prizes for their favorite club, organization, or program. On Giving Day itself, additional celebrations will be held at the GSU from 10 am to 2 pm and at FitRec from 3 to 5 pm, featuring games, BU swag, surprise guests, and a chance to hear directly from clubs and organizations about what Giving Day means to them.
“Giving Day is an opportunity for everyone in the Boston University community to make a difference for our students. No matter how you are connected to BU, whether you’re a longtime donor or making your first-ever gift, your support matters,” says Kellie Sullivan, executive director of annual giving. Sullivan notes that nearly half of BU’s student and young alumni donors participate on Giving Day. “We are thrilled that Terriers are enthusiastically giving back to the important, inspiring work happening at Boston University, and that they are encouraging their peers and friends to support, too.”
Another key action Terriers can take to amplify Giving Day is to advocate within their networks. Now in its fourth year, the Giving Day Advocate program has become increasingly impactful to Giving Day’s success. From 2024 to 2025, Advocates more than doubled the dollars raised by spreading the word about Giving Day to their friends, families, and professional networks, bringing in over $273,000 last year. Advocates receive a toolkit of resources to springboard their outreach and a unique giving link to share. Gifts raised through that link are tracked on a leaderboard, and top Advocates will win bonus funds for their favorite causes with challenges throughout the day.
Find more information about Giving Day activities, the Advocates program, highlighted funds, and ways to give here.
Sarah Leithner is an executive assistant for alumni engagement with BU Advancement. She can be reached at smleit@bu.edu.