Giving Tuesday 2020 Outstanding Post by UCCE Sonoma.

Over $196,000 was collected for UC ANR programs on Giving Tuesday this year. Thanks to colleagues all over the state promoting the campaign, the number of people donating to UC ANR also increased. UC ANR received 854 gifts from 736 donors this year, up from 580 gifts from 494 donors in 2019.

“Heading into Giving Tuesday, I truly felt like a fortune teller trying to figure out how all the unprecedented events of 2020 were going to impact giving and our bottom line,” said Emily Delk, director of annual giving and donor stewardship, who coordinated the Giving Tuesday campaign. “So I was surprised to see that giving was up by nearly 50% over last year.”

After the Giving Tuesday website opened for donations at midnight, donors immediately began competing for matching funds to double their contributions to their chosen programs.

“The race to earn those matching funds is getting tighter and tighter each year!” Delk said. “The 4-H match was met within the first 45 minutes, and the ANR match was met within the first few hours. It was incredibly rewarding to see counties and statewide programs really lean into the campaign and how donors responded to the impact our work is making in their communities.”

In an article about UC ANR's record-breaking donations, California Ag Today wrote, “There is no denying that our agricultural systems would not be where they are today without the cooperative extension service. …Most all of us havebenefitted, either directly or indirectly from these programs and many turned out in support of Cooperative Extension on Giving Tuesday.”

Best Use of Emojis by Sherwood Demonstration Garden in Placerville

Development Services presented Giving Tuesday Shout-Out awards to counties and programs in eight categories:

Best 1st Time Performer:  4-H in San Benito County

First Time Gift:  UCCE Sonoma

Social Media Superstar (County):  UC Master Gardener – Los Angeles

Social Media Superstar (Statewide Program):  UC Master Gardener

Insomniac Award (12:00:07):  California Naturalist

Outstanding Post:  UCCE Sonoma

Best Use of Emojis:  Sherwood Demo Garden – Placerville

Match Makers Award:  President's Advisory Commission, Senior Leadership, 4-H Foundation Board; Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program 

“The Shout-Out Awards are just a fun way to recognize those who really stretched their social media creativity and made the campaign their own,” Delk said. “And we'll be building on the success of this campaign next spring when we launch Big Dig Day on June 4…and the return of our gnome mascot, Happy McGivins!”

Although Giving Tuesday has passed, UC ANR accepts donations year-round at https://donate.ucanr.edu and donors can specify where their funds are directed.