VCU surpasses goal on Giving Tuesday

Almost 700 donors made gifts to Virginia Commonwealth University, totaling $103,410, when VCU participated for the first time in Giving Tuesday on Nov. 27. All funds raised contributed to the Make It Real Campaign for VCU.

Giving Tuesday is a global day of primarily online giving that takes place annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

This year, it marked the debut of VCU’s new crowdfunding platform, Igniter, which showcased 11 areas of need from schools and units across the university to which donors could contribute. These included helping the VCU team make it to the 2019 Hyperloop Pod Competition, sending a College of Humanities and Sciences student on an experiential civil rights trip and supporting scholarships for business or medical students.

The online effort exceeded its fundraising goal of $98,000.

“I’m overjoyed with the results,” says Michael Andrews (M.S.’05/E), executive director of Annual Giving, whose office organized the effort. “I am jubilant about the overwhelming swell of interest and support I've received as well as the potential moving forward. This venture now opens up opportunities for VCU entrepreneurs, faculty research and student organizations to raise money at nearly zero cost.”

To learn more about crowdfunding at VCU, contact Michael P. Andrews (M.S.’05/E), executive director of annual giving, at (804) 828-0236 or andrewsmp@vcu.edu or visit Igniter.