Alumni giving challenge
Please help us reach 500 alumni donors to unlock a $50,000 matching gift from the Ford School Committee.
In honor of Ford School Spirit Day 2019, the Ford School Committee committed $50,000 for student support as a challenge gift to inspire alumni to make gifts over the course of the following year. Gifts of any size, to any Ford School fund counted toward this Challenge. The funds were to be released at two milestones; $25,000 would be released when 250 alumni made gifts, and the rest at 500 alumni donors.
The first goal was met in January 2020, with alumni involvement growing at a steady rate. Like so many things, the Challenge was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. While solicitations were halted, alumni continued to support the Ford School and its students during these especially trying times, with incredible support for our Student Emergency Fund, and the Ford School received the full $50,000 from the Committee.
The Challenge garnered incredible participation from Ford School alumni. 354 alumni made gifts, making a tremendous impact for Ford School students by providing internship, scholarship, and emergency support, and more. Many participants made their first gift ever to the Ford School, or increased the amount of their annual gift. We are so grateful for the impact these alumni have made for our students and the greater Ford School community!
When Fordies join together in giving, even more can be achieved through your collective impact! Many individual efforts combined make a tremendous difference for these students.
- UNLOCKED: During this campaign, the first 250 alumni donors will unlock $25,000 to directly support Ford School students.
- The next step unlocks another $25,000 if we reach 500 alumni donors—totaling $50,000 in student support.
Matching funds–generously offered by members of the Ford School Committee–will increase the size of gifts from our alumni in particular.
Your support will go directly into making exceptional education and training possible. With your gifts, we'll recruit and retain the most talented and promising future policy leaders—and we'll provide them the exceptional education, training, and mentoring that launched your career.