WMU Giving Day
Gift Officer Toolkit - FAQs
Giving Day Details
Western Michigan University’s annual Giving Day will take place on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. For one 24-hour period, thousands of students, alumni, and friends will help make a difference for Western Michigan University, and for current and future Broncos, through the power of collective giving. Our goal is to have as many supporters from our Bronco nation involved in 24-hours of support!
Timeline
On April 16, 2025, you can make your gift here from anywhere in the world between 12 a.m. and 11:59 p.m.
Website
Spirit
Experience WMU Giving Day
See what we can do in one day.
Social Media Tags
#wmugivingday
Email Template
Check back for the gift officer email template.
How to Give
While we encourage you to make your gift online on April 16, you can also mail checks made out to the WMU Foundation (include WMU Giving Day in the memo line). Checks must be received before 5 p.m. on April 16 to count toward Giving Day 2025. Our mailing address is:
WMU Foundation
Attn: Gift Processing
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49007-5403
Gifts can also be processed over the phone from 8 - 5 p.m. Simply call us at (269) 387-8700.
Our payment methods are secure, and the information collected during WMU Giving Day will be used only by Western Michigan University.
Company Matching Donations
We have opportunities for donors to increase their impact through company-matching donations. Find out if your employer matches gifts.
VIP Donors
Giving Day 2025 Committee has identified VIP individuals for a pre-giving day ask. Early asks will take place onFriday, April 4, and April 9, via email from WMU’s Advancement Communications team.
Giving Day Challenges
At Western, we have a culture of winning, and Giving Day is no different. We want to see our Broncos being competitive in the spirit of philanthropy. To encourage healthy competition, we have gift challenges that can be unlocked. Take a look at all of the Giving Day challenges.
For example, The $5k for 50 Challenge, Let’s see Bronco Pride coast to coast! Receiving gifts from Broncos living in all 50 states will unlock bonus funds for the WMU Student Scholarship Fund. Make the map solid gold on the Giving Day dashboard!
Pledges
Yes, we will count fulfilled pledge payments made on April 16, toward the Giving Day total. This will be a great opportunity to fulfill outstanding pledges and increase the day's excitement.
General FAQs
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A: We're using Donor Drive a peer-to-peer fundraising platform to help us get the word out. This digital platform can be shared via email, text, and social media with the ever-growing Bronco Nation.
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A: No matter the amount, your gift will matter to a student and to WMU. If you work for a matching gift company, you can double or sometimes triple the impact of your gift. Please check with your human resources office for matching gift information and forms.
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We have special challenges created just for students to unlock performances at the student center. Check back for more info.
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A: March 3, 2025, will be our internal kick-off for any Bronco to create their Peer-to-Peer campaign through Donor Drive. This workshop will take place at the WMU Student Center to create campaign pages, social media posts, and content. Come one, come all! If you missed the tutorial, you can simply create your page following the step-by-step instructions.
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A: Check back for updates on matching gifts!
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A: Heck yes! It's an exclusive WMU branded beach towel for gifts of $75 or more.
NOTE: The beach towel is the only approved premium for Giving Day 2025, exclusive to donors who make a gift of $75 or more. For tax and legal reasons, you cannot offer any other premiums / gifts to incentivize donors.
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A: We’re excited to have our university partners participate. They can find more information on the Giving Day Toolkit webpage and/or should be referred to Melissa Beck at melissa.s.beck@wmich.edu. Please do not take on the extra role of Giving Day support person–we’re here to help!
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A: A rigorous four-day stewardship email plan has been created to thank our donors. VIP Thank you emails to Giving Day Success emails will be sent through Central Dispatch and ThankView. View the entire plan here.