Fifth Annual FSU’s Great Give set to rally donors April 14-15

Florida State University alumni and friends around the globe will unite online to give back with financial support for academic programs, scholarships and student activities.

FSU’s Great Give, a 36-hour online fundraising campaign, will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 14 and continue through 9 p.m. Friday, April 15. This is the fifth consecutive year for the groundbreaking campaign, which raises more than $160,000 annually for the university, its students and academic programs.

“FSU’s Great Give is a chance for FSU alumni, parents, students, friends and faculty and staff to make a big difference in a small amount of time,” said Marjorie Mahan, donor engagement officer for the Florida State University Foundation Office of Annual Giving.

Donors are invited to give to scholarships, programs, departments and areas on campus that they are passionate about — from first-generation students and new text books to entrepreneurial projects and veterans’ initiatives.

Supporters can give online to various initiatives throughout the university. Several FSU colleges and units have created featured projects that can be viewed online at SparkFSU, Florida State’s crowdfunding platform.

More than 1,230 donors contributed $163,320 during last year’s campaign, exceeding the 2014 total by 23 percent.

“We challenge Seminoles everywhere to make a real difference for the people and communities this remarkable university serves,” Mahan said. “We were blown away by the participation and energy from last year’s campaign. Our goal is to build a momentum that surpasses our previous FSU’s Great Give successes.”

To make a contribution, visit greatgive.fsu.edu between 9 a.m. April 14 and 9 p.m. April 15. Gifts made during FSU’s Great Give support Florida State’s most ambitious fundraising campaign — Raise the Torch: The Campaign for Florida State.

Throughout the 36-hour campaign, supporters may receive project updates and giving totals by liking FSU’s Great Give on Facebook or following FSU’s Great Give on Twitter.