From the Nominator

"In 2020, we realized our summer golf outing was likely not a fundraising option for our partners in athletics due to the pandemic. We needed another option to continue to support our student athletes. 

Because we had a long-time, successful online day of giving, we approached the director of athletics with the idea to provide an online giving day for each sport. Leveraging the global success of #GivingTuesday, we planned our campaign for that day. He was excited about the possibility and #GRIZTuesday was born. 

#GRIZTuesday is a celebration of all things Franklin College Athletics and a 24-hour online giving challenge. It is a day meant to be an energetic, inspiring, virtual gathering of alumni, parents, staff, students, faculty, and friends in support of the best Franklin College athletics experience for our students.   

Utilizing a second contract with trusted vendor GiveCampus, as well as a dedicated timeline, marketing plan, and communications templates, we walked the coaches of 21 teams, plus cheerleading and athletic training, through a very successful campaign that we can now replicate year over year. We increased the number of alumni donors to Franklin College and raised additional support for Franklin College Athletics. We attracted new donors and reactivated lapsed donors who hadn’t responded to traditional giving marketing. We also saw loyal donors give again and engage even more deeply. 

#GRIZTuesday 2020 raised $179,912 from a total of 1,283 donors. This compares to $82,089 raised through the traditional golf outing in 2019, with a total of 272 players."

From the Judges

This event was not just a pivot to an online fundraiser⁠—#GrizTuesday was created from scratch to replace an expensive event. The advancement team worked hand-in-hand with the athletics director, demonstrating cross-team cooperation and excellent stakeholder management. Moving to a day of giving created a more inclusive event, decreased costs, and highlighted the importance of students' work in the community.