Matches and Challenges offer opportunities to double donations
MADISON,WI (March 31, 2026) — Spirited Badger fun, great giveaways, and opportunities for donors to double their gifts are all part of this year’s Day of the Badger.
Sponsored by the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association, Day of the Badger features virtual and in-person events, bringing alumni and friends of UW-Madison together to raise critical funds to help the university remain a world-class educational institution. Badgers everywhere are encouraged to join the fun. Gifts of any size add up and make a difference.
There are more than 150 areas of campus participating in Day of the Badger this year, including schools, colleges, departments, and campus causes. UW alumni and friends are encouraged to give to any and all causes they are passionate about. These areas can be found at dayofthebadger.org.
Thanks to more than 100 available matching gifts, contributions during Day of the Badger could unlock additional resources for UW-Madison. There are more than $700,000 of matches, challenges and bonus Bucky dollars that you can help unlock to support the causes you love. Plus, if you’re making your first gift ever in support of UW-Madison, there’s a special matching gift opportunity just for you.
Alumni and friends are encouraged to share their enthusiasm and support for the UW on their social channels (@WisAumni)
Last year, Day of the Badger received more than $1.7 million in gifts.
More Details:
Website: dayofthebadger.org
When: Tuesday, April 14, at 10:12 a.m. CDT to Wednesday, April 15, at 5 p.m. CDT. All told, the event runs for 1,848 minutes — a nod to the year the university was founded.
Where: Online or visit the giant disco balls at Gordon Commons on April 14th and 15th to take pictures, win prizes, and celebrate with Bucky!
· April 14
o Play a giant “Plinko” – style game to vote for your favorite campus area
(Bring your Day of the Badger gift receipt for more voting opportunities)
o Bucky will be there from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
o Go on a Bucky Hunt – Search for one of 20 squishy plush Buckys hidden around campus. Find one and it’s yours to keep! It also comes with some bucks for a UW cause of your choice.
· April 15
o Jump in the “Cash Dome” and grab “Bucky Bucks” to exchange for cash donations to campus
(Bring your Day of the Badger gift receipts for more time in the “Cash Dome”)
o Bucky will be there from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
· Make a gift.
o Gifts of any amount make a difference.
o Double your impact with available matching gifts. Thanks to generous donors, many contributions will be doubled. Details of those matches are available in each program area on dayofthebadger.org.
· Share your support and enthusiasm for UW-Madison.
o Get your personal networks involved and be vocal about why you love the UW.
- Proudly sporting Badger-red attire April 14-15.
- Sharing favorite UW-Madison memories, photos, and stories.
- Celebrating the impact Badgers have on the world.
- Showing examples of Badgers living the Wisconsin Idea as they find solutions to some of the world’s great challenges.
ABOUT THE WISCONSIN FOUNDATION AND ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
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The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the interests of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It brings together alumni and friends of the university to raise, invest, and distribute funds, and it connects a growing number of Badgers to help facilitate their support for each other and the university. For more information, please visit supportuw.org or uwalumni.com.
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Tod Pritchard
Senior Director, Media and Public Relations
Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association
1848 University Avenue | Madison, Wisconsin 53726
608-609-5217
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