As of 11:59 p.m. on GivingTuesday 2021 (Nov. 30), UC ANR employees and generous donors helped raise $124,310 for UC Cooperative Extension and the statewide programs, institutes and research centers that make up UC ANR.

An additional $40,000 was made available to incentivize giving to our programmatic and research initiatives at the state and local levels. This included $20,000 in matching funds provided by the California 4-H Foundation and donations from 4-H Foundation Board members designated for the 4-H program.

It also included $20,000 in funds raised throughout the year for our ANR Incentive Fund, used to encourage donor engagement and increased giving to all ANR programs.

This show of support demonstrates the impact ANR is having in communities and the value that donors place on our work, said Emily Delk, director of annual giving and donor stewardship.

“The recent success of GivingTuesday kicked off the giving season, pushing total giving past $1.5 million for the year,” she said. “It was wonderful to see a number of our staff support the event and 255 brand new donors.”

Forever 4-H Endowments were created in Kern County and Merced County – each with $50,000.

Below are the counties and programs that received the most donations, winners of the prize challenges and shout-outs for best use of social media for their GivingTuesday campaigns. 

Top earning counties:

1. San Mateo/San Francisco counties
2. Stanislaus County
3. Monterey County
4. Glenn County
5. Sonoma County

Top earning statewide groups:

1. California 4-H
2. UC Master Gardeners
3. UC ANR
4. UC Cooperative Extension
5. Research and Extension Centers

Sacramento County 4-H Facebook campaign

Prize Challenges

Donor challenge: $500 prize to the 20 funds that have the greatest number of unique donors on GivingTuesday.

1. Los Angeles County Master Gardeners
2. Ventura County Master Gardeners
3. Riverside County Master Gardeners
4. Orange County Master Gardeners
5. Central Sierra Sherwood Demo Garden
6. Sonoma County Master Gardeners
7. San Mateo/San Francisco Master Gardeners
8. Stanislaus County Master Gardeners
9. San Luis Obispo County Master Gardeners
10. Sacramento County 4-H
11. San Mateo County MG Greenhouse
12. San Mateo County 4-H
13. Santa Clara County Master Gardeners
14. San Diego County Master Gardeners
15. Sonoma County Master Gardener Endowment
16. Alameda County Master Gardener Endowment
17. Alameda County 4-H
18. IPM - Statewide
19. Elkus Ranch
20. 4-H Statewide

Master Food Preservers of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties Facebook campaign.

Donation challenge: $500 prize to the first 10 funds that secure an individual $500+ donation on GivingTuesday.

1. Alameda County 4-H
2. Monterey County 4-H
3. Sacramento County 4-H
4. Siskiyou County 4-H Grows
5. Placer County 4-H Robotics
6. Monterey County 4-H
7. Glenn County 4-H
8. San Luis Obispo County Master Gardeners
9. Monterey County 4-H
10. Stanislaus County 4-H

In-it-to-win-it challenge: $500 prize to the 10 funds that raise the most on GivingTuesday.

1. Stanislaus County 4-H
2. Monterey County 4-H
3. Glenn County 4-H
4. San Mateo/San Francisco County Master Gardeners
5. Sonoma County Master Gardeners
6. San Luis Obispo County Master Gardeners
7. Sacramento County 4-H
8. Riverside County Master Gardeners
9. Elkus Ranch
10. Central Sierra Master Gardeners

Shout Out Awards (in no particular order) 

Master Gardeners of Ventura County Facebook campaign

Social media stars:

Glenn County 4-H

San Mateo/San Francisco County 4-H

Master Gardeners of Stanislaus County

Master Gardeners of Sonoma County

Master Gardeners of San Mateo/San Francisco counties

Best original social media content:

Sacramento County 4-H

Master Food Preservers of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties

Master Gardeners of Ventura County

In a Facebook live video, Gerry Hernandez, UC Master Gardener coordinator in Colusa County, explains that all GivingTuesday donations will be designated for the Donna Critchfield Memorial Demonstration Garden in Williams, then gives a tour of the garden.

Best use of video:

Master Gardeners of Colusa County

Master Gardeners of San Luis Obispo County

Master Gardeners of Ventura County