Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday is Kent State University's most generous annual tradition. 

During the month of November, we feature select funds from the university community. When you make a gift, those funds could receive matching dollars and other incentives. This means your gift has a bigger impact during this special season of giving than at any other time during the year!

What are the giving incentives?
  • Participation Boots - As an incentive, the Kent State University Foundation pledges to contribute a “boost” of $500 for every 25 unique donors that give $25 or more to a featured fund, thereby encouraging participation. (Up to $5,000 per fund)
  • Triple Your Gift Tuesday - On Nov. 12, all gifts to Giving Tuesday Featured Funds are matched by individual donors and then again by volunteer boards. Matches are made up to a $500 gift per donor, and $25,000 total matching funds will be available for ALL donors until the money runs out.
  • Donor/Dollar Challenge Week – Nov. 19 – 26, two featured funds could receive an additional $2,500 toward their goal! The fund with the most unique donors and the fund that raises the most money during the challenge week will each receive a bonus gift – or one fund could win it all.
  • Giving Tuesday Day Of - 24-hour period from 12:00 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. EST on Dec. 3, 2024 in which gifts will be matched 1:1 up to $1,000 per individual donor and no more than $100,000 in total for the day.
  • Endowment Incentive - Any new endowments of $25K or greater that close between Nov. 1 – Dec. 3 @ 11:59 p.m. are eligible for a $1,000 match into the connected spendable fund.
  • Planned Giving Incentive - Any planned gifts of $25K or greater that close between Nov. 1 – Dec. 3 @ 11:59 p.m. are eligible for a $1,000 match into an existing fund of the donor’s choice.
What are these cause categories?
  • We are focusing on cause-based giving and offering you the opportunity to support the causes that matter most to you. When you give through Kent State, you’re not just supporting an institution; you’re empowering innovation, enhancing lives, and fostering progress.
  • Featured funds fall under one or more of 10 cause categories: Animals & Environment, Arts & Culture, Athletics, Basic Needs, Belonging & Community, Education, Global Experience, Health & Wellness, Innovation and Workforce.
  • For example:
    • Arts and Culture includes historical preservation, theatre, music, dance, poetry and cultural studies.
    • Basic Needs focuses on food sustainability, mental health services and other essential programs that keep our students supported beyond academics.
    • Belonging includes identity centers, support for veterans and adult learners and programs that create a sense of community.
    • Innovation focuses on research breakthroughs and technological advancements.
    • Workforce encompasses internship programs, entrepreneurship, professional style and career readiness.
What’s a boost?
  • The Kent State University Foundation will give a $500 “boost” – or monetary reward – to each featured fund for every 25 unique donors. Boosts are awesome, right?
What is a unique donor?
  • You are a unique donor for each fund to which you give. Each individual can only count once for each fund. This means that you can give a gift to multiple funds and count as a unique donor in each. Isn’t that great?
How are the 25 unique donors counted?
  • For each fund, we will count the number of unique donors who have given $25 or more.
Why does my gift have to be $25 or more to count for a boost?
  • Because the accountants told us so...
Where will the boosts go?
  • For every 25 unique donors who give $25 or more to a fund, the Kent State University Foundation will make a $500 contribution to that fund. We will be checking the number of unique donors every day and updating the fund's pages with the boosts as quickly as possible.
What if I don’t see the fund I'd like to support listed on this site?
  • You can likely find it on our main giving page. If you’re interested in crowdfunding for the fund you wish to support, we’d love to hear about your philanthropic passion at Kent State and get you all the details on how to participate during next year's Giving Tuesday! Email us: annualgiving@kent.edu.
What if I don’t want to pay by credit card?
  • We just discontinued our carrier pigeon service, but you can still mail gifts to us. We highly recommend only online giving during Giving Tuesday. That way, we can ensure that your gifts are counted for the boosts and other promotions during the month… You know what they say about snail mail, but here is our address if you do need to send a check. *Reminder, our online giving forms are safe and secure.

    Kent State University Foundation
    350 S. Lincoln Street
    P.O. Box 5190
    Kent, Ohio 44242-0001
I am a Kent State employee and want to use payroll deduction. How do I do that?
  • Awesome! Visit our Faculty and Staff giving page, and search for the fund you wish to support. Your gift will be added to the featured fund's campaign page and included in the Giving Tuesday initiative total. Thank you for support!
Will my pledge or pledge payment to Kent State be matched?
  • Pledges are great! Thank you for supporting Kent State, but we can only count new outright gifts for this initiative.
I didn't mean to make a gift, I need a refund.
  • Oh no! No worries, we understand. Just contact us, and we can issue a refund! Email gifts@kent.edu or call 330-672-4438.
I want to get involved - tell me how!
  • You’re the best! We can’t thank you enough for choosing to get involved in Giving Tuesday. Try emailing your friends and family and telling them why you care about Kent State and the impact gifts will make. Also, social media is an awesome tool to spread the word. Maybe some people will give you an early holiday gift toward your favorite cause? For questions, contact us at annualgiving@kent.edu.
Why should I become a fundraiser?
  • We know you love Kent State. By becoming a fundraiser, you get to show that love to everyone you know. You are the best advocate for our university and your fund, and we are all about equipping you with the tools to share your Kent State story with your network.
What happens if I don't reach my goal?
  • That’s OK, we know you did your best! The funds you have raised will go to the area you choose to support. We can’t thank you enough for the work you did on behalf of Kent State.
How can I find my fundraiser page or a friend’s?
  • Thank you for making a page! You can find it by navigating to the campaign you picked and searching for yourself under fundraisers. Or check your email. We sent you an intro email with all the details. It may have gone to your spam folder.
What happens after Giving Tuesday?
  • The world returns to normal (well, our new normal) … but your impact lasts forever.
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