40 Hours to Transform UT

With just six months remaining in UT’s eight-year, $3 billion fundraising effort The Campaign for Texas, a new micro-drive has sprung up: We’re aiming to raise at least $40,000 in just 40 hours to make a big difference.

While multi-million dollar gifts make headlines, so far the Campaign for Texas has received nearly 850,000 gifts of less than $1,000. With a network as large as UT’s, small gifts add up quickly.

On April 3-4, the inaugural 40 Hours for the Forty Acres event will ask Longhorn alumni and students to donate whatever they can toward the goal of $40,000 during a 40-hour period to any UT cause that’s close to their hearts. It’s the first time the university has ever made a short-term “all hands” appeal across multiple channels, including social media, email, phone calls and an on-campus student event.

There is no minimum gift required (although online gifts must be at least $1). The main goal is participation, inviting Longhorns to help UT become the nation’s top public research university. (While multi-million dollar gifts make headlines, so far the Campaign for Texas has received nearly 850,000 gifts of less than $1,000. With a network as large as UT’s, small gifts add up quickly.)

Donors can give to any area on campus, from scholarship funding to faculty research to college or department support.

They can also give to one of several student organizations chosen to be featured during the campaign:

• Afrikan American Affairs, which provides support, enrichment services and leadership development to black students and to anyone interested in black culture
• Student Engineering Council, which unites engineering students and organizations on campus and serves as the voice of students within the Cockrell School of Engineering
• Student Endowed Centennial Lectureship, which hosts high-profile speakers on campus and provides them with an opportunity to interact with the university community
• Voices Against Violence Survivor Emergency Fund, which provides financial assistance to student survivors of interpersonal violence in an effort to increase safety, coping and independence
• Students for Recovery, which raises recovery awareness and provides community for students interested in recovery
• The Project, UT’s largest day of community service
• Camp Texas, a three-day leadership camp to introduce new students to life at UT and connect to fellow Longhorns
• Texas Blazers, an honorary service organization whose members serve as official hosts for the university and as mentors at Eastside Memorial High School
• Horns Helping Horns, serving independent students who arrive at UT with little or no family support and very limited resources
• Longhorn Run, a pair of two-mile and 10K races benefitting the UT Student Government and Recreational Sports Excellence Funds
• Student Emergency Fund, providing immediate and impactful assistance to students with severe financial needs

In addition to the $40,000 goal, the event hopes to attract at least 400 student donors, helping to establish a culture of philanthropy on campus.

Visit the 40 for 40 website to make a gift and track progress, and help spread the word on social media using #40for40.