Find answers to frequently asked questions below. If you don’t see what you need, please feel free to reach out to us at dayofgiving@stanford.edu.
Want to let us know about a gift via check or donor advised fund (DAF)? Please fill out this form. More information on check and DAF gifts can be found below.
Questions about Day of Giving
What happened to the match?
Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Stanford community, our Day of Giving matching fund for individual gifts has been exhausted. But our school and unit challenges are still going strong! Help the cause(s) you care about secure additional matching funds by making a gift before Day of Giving ends at 5:00 p.m. (PT).
What is Stanford Day of Giving?
Stanford Day of Giving is a university-wide celebration of philanthropy. It’s an opportunity for our entire community to come together, give back, and make a difference both on our campus and in the world.
When is Stanford Day of Giving?
Day of Giving runs from 5 a.m. (PT) on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, to 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2026. All gifts initiated during this counting period will be included in Day of Giving totals.
Why May 14?
May 14 is one of the most important dates in Stanford’s history. Three years after Leland Stanford, Jr.’s passing, the cornerstone of the university was laid by Senator and Mrs. Leland Stanford to honor their son’s 19th birthday. The cornerstone is on the mathematics building, next door and to the west of Memorial Church.
How can I help?
There are lots of ways to help spread the word about and participate in Stanford Day of Giving. Please visit the Get Involved page for details.
Questions about making a gift
How can I make a gift?
The easiest way to make your Day of Giving gift is online. Simply click on the “Give Now!” button at the top of this page.
What gifts qualified for the match?
Please review our match terms and conditions for a full breakdown of giving options and match qualifications for gifts completed before the match was exhausted.
I don’t see the fund I want to make a gift to on the giving form. What should I do?
Please select “Other Stanford Designation” as your giving designation. (Hint: Type “Other” in the search box on the giving form to easily find this option.) Select the amount of your gift and click “Continue.” On the Details page of the giving form, you’ll be asked to specify which fund you’d like to give to.
You can also make your gift over the phone by contacting our gift processing team at (650) 725-4360.
Can I give via check?
Yes. Please mail your check during the Day of Giving counting period and fill out this form so we can count your gift.
Checks should be made payable to “The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University” or “Stanford University” and mailed to:
Stanford University
P.O. Box 20466
Stanford, CA 94309-0466
Can I make a gift via donor-advised fund (DAF)?
Yes. Simply click the “Give Now!” button at the top of this page and select the “DAFpay Donor Advised Fund” button as your payment option when you’re checking out. DAFpay allows you to securely log in to your donor advised fund account without leaving our website.
Alternatively, you can initiate your DAF gift via your financial institution during the Day of Giving counting period. If you select this option, please fill out this form so we can count your gift.
Can I make a gift via qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from my IRA?
Yes. Please initiate your QCD gift during the Day of Giving counting period and fill out this form so we can count your gift.
Can I make a gift of stock or securities?
Yes. Please email stockgifts@stanford.edu or call (650) 721-1917 during the Day of Giving counting period with your gift details (number of shares, security description, ticker symbol, and designation).
Can I make a gift via wire transfer?
Yes. Please email wire_transfers@lists.stanford.edu during the Day of Giving counting period with gift amount and designation.
Find more information on making a gift via wire transfer here.
Does my pledge payment qualify for the match?
Yes, if your payment was made while matching funds were available, but matching dollars will not draw down your pledge total(s).
Does my recurring gift or automatic payment qualify for Day of Giving?
Yes. Any recurring gifts or automatic payments made during Day of Giving count toward Day of Giving totals.
I already made a gift to Stanford this year. If I make another gift on May 13 or 14, will it count as a Day of Giving contribution?
Thank you for your continued support! Yes, gifts initiated during Day of Giving will count toward Day of Giving totals, even if you’ve already made a gift this year.
Is there a handy tool to find out if my employer offers matching gifts?
Yes! Search for your employer or company on the match terms and conditions page.
Questions about specific gift designations
Will my gift to Stanford Athletics be tax-deductible?
Yes, philanthropic gifts to the Buck/Cardinal Club, Home of Champions Fund, or sport specific annual funds are 100 percent tax-deductible. Donations made during Stanford Day of Giving will not count towards football or men’s basketball priority seating requirements.
Will my contribution to Stanford Athletics be eligible for benefits?
Any gift made to the Buck/Cardinal Club or Home of Champions Fund during Stanford Day of Giving is eligible for benefits. However, gifts made to sport specific annual funds are not eligible for Buck/Cardinal Club benefits.
Will my contribution to Stanford Live qualify for the match?
Yes! If you made your gift through the Stanford Live website while matching funds were available, you will qualify. Please review our match terms and conditions for more information.
Will my contribution to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital qualify for the match?
Unfortunately, no. Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital is supported by the Lucile Packard Foundation, a unique 501c3 entity from the university and School of Medicine, so Day of Giving matching dollars cannot be awarded there. Please visit the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital website for more information or to make a gift.
What happened to the match?
Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Stanford community, our Day of Giving matching fund for individual gifts has been exhausted. But our school and unit challenges are still going strong! Help the cause(s) you care about secure additional matching funds by making a gift before Day of Giving ends at 5:00 p.m. (PT).
Why should I give on Day of Giving?
This is our largest day of community giving ever! Let’s show how one Day of Giving can lead to countless possibilities!
Which parts of the university are participating?
The Stanford Fund
Stanford Athletics
Graduate School of Business
Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
Graduate School of Education
School of Engineering
School of Humanities and Sciences
Stanford Law School
Stanford Medicine
Stanford Arts
Centers for Equity, Community, and Leadership
And a number of centers, institutes, and other areas
Questions about being an ambassador
What is a Day of Giving Ambassador?
This is a short-term volunteer opportunity anyone can sign up for! Select a group you’d like to promote, and you’ll receive a unique giving link to share with your networks. Please visit the Get Involved page for details.
Do I get anything for participating?
Yes! All ambassadors will receive an exclusive Day of Giving tote bag, and every ambassador who brings in at least one gift via their ambassador giving link will be entered into our drawing for two Director’s Level tickets and field passes for a football game of their choice at Stanford Stadium in fall 2026.
What should I do if I lose my ambassador link?
Please reach out to the Stanford Day of Giving Ambassador team at ambassadors@stanford.edu, and we can re-send you your link.
Can I be an ambassador for more than one campaign during Day of Giving?
Yes! You can sign up more than once and select different groups to support on the Get Involved page. If you appear on the ambassador leaderboard multiple times, your results will be added together for the ambassador challenge.
I don’t see the department or fund that I’m interested in supporting in the ambassador sign-up form. How can I support them?
Choose the group that has the closest connection to the department or fund that you’re interested in supporting. Once Day of Giving launches, there will be an “other designation” field on the gift form where donors can enter the specific fund that they’d like to support. If you’re sharing your ambassador link with others, you can encourage them to make a gift to a specific department or fund using this field. The ambassador leaderboard will reflect gifts made to any fund at Stanford, as long as the gift is made through the Day of Giving website.
How does the ambassador challenge work?
Gifts that are made through the Day of Giving website by your contacts using your unique ambassador giving link during Day of Giving—between 5 a.m. (PT) on May 13 and 5 p.m. (PT) on May 14—will be tallied next to your name on the ambassador leaderboard.
The top three ambassadors who bring in the greatest number of gifts will unlock additional dollars for a fund of their choice. First place unlocks $25,000, second place unlocks $15,000, and third place unlocks $10,000! First place will also receive two Director’s Level tickets to a football game of their choice at Stanford Stadium in fall 2026!
Which gifts count toward the ambassador leaderboard?
Only gifts made through the Day of Giving website will appear on the ambassador leaderboard.
What do I get for reading through all of the FAQs?
First, a big “Thank you!” for taking the time to read through this important information. To show our gratitude for your attention to detail, here is the password for our prize catalog: GoCard! Simply input the password and select a special treat from Stanford! Prizes available while supplies last.