STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford Athletics has partnered with the University for the first-ever Stanford Day of Giving on May 14-15, 2025, replacing Stanford Athletics Giving Day previously held in April. This University-wide philanthropic event will provide alumni, families, donors, fans, and all community members the opportunity to give back to Stanford University and maximize their impact by supporting the school, unit, or sport of their choice. The 36-hour giving period begins on Wednesday, May 14, at 5 a.m. PT and ends at 5 p.m. PT Thursday, May 15.
In 2023, the athletics department launched the inaugural Stanford Athletics Giving Day in celebration of National Student-Athlete Day on April 6. The event saw immense success, raising $391,739 from 758 donors in just 24 hours for the Buck/Cardinal Club and all 36 varsity sports. Embracing the Cardinal spirit of competition and excellence, Stanford Athletics Giving Day included a leaderboard that tracked and compared dollars raised, number of unique donors, and former student-athlete participation across all varsity sports. Former student-athletes gave back to their programs in significant ways, with 505 donors in 2023 and 766 in 2024. The Stanford Athletics community was challenged in 2024 to “Beat Your Best” and raise more dollars from more donors as Stanford Athletics Giving Day was extended to 36 hours in honor of our 36 varsity sports. The Cardinal community stepped up to the challenge in 2024 by raising $521,173 from 1,128 donors.
Stanford Athletics is synonymous with success. From conference titles to national championships and taking the Olympic podium, Cardinal student-athletes compete and achieve at the highest levels. Stanford student-athletes pursue their dreams and goals beyond competition with the same intensity, resilience, and unwavering commitment to excellence. From team captains to world leaders and from competitors to innovators — supporting student-athletes means investing in future leaders.
The Cardinal community of alumni, fans, families, and former student-athletes is truly what makes Stanford the Home of Champions. Like our nearly 900 student-athletes, you have the opportunity to compete for the Cardinal by making a gift during Stanford Day of Giving and participating in one of our “Beat Your Best” challenges.
Donors can continue to give to the Buck/Cardinal Club or a sport-specific annual fund on Stanford Day of Giving while competing in a variety of “Beat Your Best” challenges outlined below:
- Beat Our Best Goal: As a Stanford Athletics community, exceed a total of $521,173 and 1,128 donors to Athletics over the 36-hour giving period.
- Every Card Counts Challenge: Each program is challenged to beat its best unique donor count from 2023 and 2024 Stanford Athletics Giving Day.
- Compete for Card Challenge: The respective men’s and women’s sport-specific program with the top former student-athlete participation percentage will receive an additional award.
- Buck/Cardinal Club Challenge: The Buck/Cardinal Club aims to exceed 225 donors.
The countdown starts now! Organize and mobilize your friends, family, and former teammates to maximize your impact on Stanford Day of Giving by becoming an Ambassador. Please fill out this brief form to learn more about the Ambassador program and how to get involved.
Stay tuned for more information to come!