Student Experience
UCSC’s Giving Day returns Nov. 18
UC Santa Cruz’s premier fundraising event supports teams, programs, centers, student-run organizations, and more across campus.
Giving Day is a 24-hour fundraising event supporting over 200 teams and programs across campus. Photo by Carolyn Lagattuta.
Giving Day—UC Santa Cruz’s largest fundraising event of the year—is back Nov. 18.
The 24-hour fundraising event is a time when students, staff, alumni, family, friends, and community members rally together to support the organizations, programs, and causes at UC Santa Cruz that matter most to them.
This year marks the 11th year of Giving Day at UC Santa Cruz. In 2025, Giving Day raised nearly $2 million with the support of over 8,400 donors.
Funds raised during Giving Day directly benefit student and campus projects, helping to ensure that programs and organizations have the tools they need for a successful academic year. With over 200 projects participating in Giving Day, support can translate into increased access to financial support, opportunities to participate in cutting-edge research, experiential learning, travel, and more.
Time-based challenges award prizes to teams for the most donors, the best social media presence, the most compelling videos, and more. A variety of sources are generously funding challenges in 2026, including the UCSC Foundation’s Board Opportunity Fund and the Chancellor’s Office.
Giving Day donors also compete with one another to propel their favorite projects into first place during these challenges, or they might see their gifts doubled by generous donors offering matching funds.
Giving Day kicks off at midnight on Nov. 18 and runs to 11:59 p.m. The Giving Day website will provide up-to-the-moment tallies. Donations can be made via Google Pay, Apple Pay, Venmo, Paypal, or credit card.
Browse this year’s participating teams.