Started in 2018, the Day of Giving invites donors to raise funds for student scholarships, scientific research, the arts and more during a 24-hour fundraiser. This year, the event is entirely virtual. Credit: Sophia Tobias | For the Lantern
Ohio State is asking for time and spare change Monday for its annual Day of Giving.
Started in 2018, the Day of Giving invites donations for student scholarships, scientific research, the arts and other programs during a 24-hour fundraiser. This year, the event is entirely virtual.
“To dedicate this 24-hour period and everyone can kind of come together, find an area that they’re passionate about and give — it’s just a really special moment,” Dan Caterinicchia, assistant vice president of strategy and administration with the Office of Advancement, said.
The first Day of Giving event in 2018 raised $3.4 million for Ohio State, Jennifer Keyes, assistant vice president of individual philanthropic strategy with the Ohio State Alumni Association, said in an email. In 2019, the university raised $4.2 million on the Day of Giving with 35,568 donations.
Keyes said the event was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, and this year there will be no in-person gatherings to follow health guidance.
There are 12 featured categories on the 2021 Day of Giving website, providing a spotlight for some of Ohio State’s initiatives, such as emergency relief funds for students and financial support for health care workers, Caterinicchia said.
A key section of the 2021 Day of Giving are student scholarships, which Caterinicchia said are especially important for University President Kristina M. Johnson’s initiative to achieve a debt-free bachelor’s degree in a decade.
Other featured programs at the Columbus campus to which donors can give include the Wexner Center for the Arts, Ohio State Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center and the Hale Black Cultural Center with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
Ohio State’s Marion, Lima, Newark and Mansfield regional campuses also have promoted programs such as Lima’s Generation One support program for first-generation college students and the Marion Student Emergency Fund for students impacted by COVID-19.
Donors are not limited to featured initiatives and can contribute to any cause, Caterinicchia said.
Although in-person events are canceled, Keyes said there are still incentives for donors with matching challenges. For example, donations of up to $20,000 to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion will be matched by office space designing company Continental Office and furniture company Herman Miller.
Caterinicchia said donations from the Day of Giving will count toward Ohio State’s Time and Change campaign, which publicly launched in 2019 to raise $4.5 billion for the university with 1 million donors.
There is no minimum donation amount, and Caterinicchia said supporting students and the university community is more important than ever as the pandemic persists.
“If folks have a dollar — or five — that they want to contribute to an area, we are so appreciative of that. And if there are people that are fortunate enough to be in a place where they can be even more generous, then we are just as grateful for that,” Caterinicchia said.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated Ohio State’s Time and Change campaign started in 2019 with a $4.5 million goal. The campaign launched publicly in 2019 but started in 2016 and has a goal of $4.5 billion. The story has been updated to reflect this information.
