U of T Giving Day 2026 celebrates the big impact of philanthropy and community
Fourth annual Giving Day drove impressive support for students and researchers.
With a theme of “Big things happen when we come together,” the University of Toronto celebrated its fourth annual U of T Giving Day on March 26, 2026.
It was a great success, raising more than $800,000 in total, which will directly benefit students and researchers across U of T’s three campuses. Once again, the university’s Giving Day gift-matching opportunity allowed supporters to double their impact by up to $1,000 with gifts to featured funds.
Participation was high, with over 2,430 donors contributing to one or more of this year’s 89 featured funds.
A growing tradition
First launched in 2023, U of T Giving Day has quickly become a cherished tradition among U of T’s faculty, staff, alumni and friends as an annual initiative showcasing the generosity and spirit of the global U of T community.
Donations made during Giving Day are part of the University’s Defy Gravity campaign, which advances U of T’s commitment to inclusive excellence and help the university bring together people from every conceivable background to create a healthier, more sustainable and equitable world.
To promote this year’s Giving Day ahead of time, divisional ambassadors – including students, faculty and alumni – shared personal stories highlighting the life-changing power of donor support. Their stories illustrated not only the impact of giving, but also the transformative benefits of a supportive U of T community.
On-campus events to inspire support
There were a number of fun and inspiring in-person events held across all three campuses to celebrate Giving Day.
Among these were the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering’s celebratory “Thank You Lab,” where scholarship recipients had a chance to write thank-you postcards to donors, a President’s Circle event shining the spotlight on U of T Scholars at Risk, and the Faculty of Music’s drop-in event featuring refreshments, interactive displays and a noon-hour concert.
This video posted on Instagram, featuring events from all three campuses, captures the energy of Giving Day 2026: