Annual Gifts
The University of Winnipeg has long been known as a post-secondary institution offering high quality education and producing excellent research and scholarship. But it is the people at UWinnipeg who have created our institution’s reputation for inclusiveness, innovation, and integrity; we are dedicated, proud, and passionate about post-secondary education and scholarship.
Every year The University of Winnipeg Foundation asks its alumni, retirees and friends for their support in keeping our reputation for excellence alive and well. The majority of gifts to UWinnipeg are donations from alumni, retirees, parents, and friends that support student scholarships, research, and many other essential programs on campus. These gifts have a significant impact on our students, faculty, and the entire university community.
Donations can be made online through our donation page or to a special project highlighted on our crowdfunding website. The University of Winnipeg Foundation also operates a student calling program in collaboration with its direct mail efforts.
The Annual Giving team also provides direct support to members on campus who are looking to raise funds for their own unique programing initiatives. For more information on how we can assist you in raising money on behalf of The University of Winnipeg, or to make a gift, contact Elena Anciro by email at e.anciro@uwinnipeg.ca
The Student Contact Centre
The Student Contact Centre is an important and thriving piece of The University of Winnipeg Foundation’s Annual Giving efforts. Located alongside Foundation development offices, every year the contact center employs up to 20 current students who represent the diversity, talent, and lively enthusiasm unique to UWinnipeg.
The students are essential to maintaining strong relationships with alumni, donors and friends of UWinnipeg. Throughout the course of the year student spend nearly 10,000 hours on the phone and may connect with more than 30,000 individuals.
Our students provide updates on recent campus developments, share their passion for UWinnipeg, experience some amazing conversations, increase private support to UWinnipeg and thank existing donors. Students employed by the UW Foundation gain valuable work experience with a flexible schedule that allows them to keep their studies top priority.
Above all, they understand that each and every gift to UWinnipeg truly matters—regardless of its size.
Why have I not received a call?
You may not have received a call because we are not contacting regarding an initiative that we’ve identified as of interest to you OR we do not have your correct contact information on file. If you would like to receive contact from a student or would like to make a gift in advance of a call, please contact Elena Anciro by email at e.anciro@uwinnipeg.ca
Crowdfunding
The University of Winnipeg Foundation launched a crowdfunding site in 2015 to make it easier for people to support research, students and projects on campus. Currently, only a handful of Canadian universities have crowdfunding websites and UWinnipeg is the first in Manitoba.
An increasingly popular online fundraising tool, crowdfunding provides an innovative way to showcase projects that the public want to help fund. The Foundation’s crowdfunding site, which was developed in-house, supports projects led by members of the UWinnipeg community – promoting campus projects which will advance teaching and learning at the university and its Collegiate.
Unlike with utilizing an external crowdfund page for your UWinnipeg initiative, going through Annual Giving will provide you the support of fundraising professionals who will do the hard work of creating the page on your behalf, provide you with the option of a more multifaceted fundraising approach, and, we can provide your donors with tax receipts. Learn more.
Lotteries and 50/50 Draws
The University of Winnipeg Foundation has partnered with Funding Change to provide additional online fundraising opportunities to campus. If you are thinking this could be a fun way to engage donors on behalf of a project, Annual Giving can provide assistance in setting up your page and applying for the LGA license.
Direct Mail/Email
Throughout the year the Annual Giving department mails and emails solicitations to select alumni and friends who we believe may be interested in learning about and supporting a specific initiative. Our goal is to limit the costs related to these mailings, both financial and environmental, while at the same time providing our supporters every opportunity to give back.