Join the NIRSA Foundation on November 27, 2018 in celebrating campus recreation and creating opportunities for our NIRSA family by making a #GivingTuesday gift. #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving aimed at encouraging philanthropy worldwide and harnessing the collaborative power of people working together to improve their communities.

The NIRSA Foundation set three goals for #GivingTuesday this year: to see at least 105 donors supporting their NIRSA family, including the addition of five new Cornerstone Society monthly donors, to raise $9,800 for the future of campus recreation. We encourage campus rec students and professionals to show their support for the profession and their NIRSA family by giving what they can.

“Fuel your network, help open doors for others, and be generous,” says Andrew Reddish, 2018 Region VI Travel Stipend recipient and 2018 Tony Clements Heritage Scholarship recipient. “Small contributions can create big things.”

Your donations meet the match

Hughes Group Architects returns as our generous #GivingTuesday sponsor, and they’re laying down a match challenge to the NIRSA family: Make a gift on #GivingTuesday, and they will match donations, dollar-for-dollar, up to $2,500! If 100 people donate $25 on November 27, that means $5,000 will have already been raised thanks to Hughes Group Architects’ match, and the NIRSA family will be more than halfway to the $9,800 goal.

If you’re going to the 2019 NIRSA Annual Conference & Campus Rec and Wellness Expo, please help us express gratitude to Hughes Group Architects by visiting their booth at the Expo and saying thanks!

Your gifts strengthen the family

The NIRSA Foundation’s mission is to provide NIRSA members meaningful opportunities for scholarship, research, and personal and professional development. Each year, your donations afford members across the NIRSA family scholarships to NIRSA professional development events. Your gifts fund NIRSA research initiatives, such as benchmarking and the Institutional Data Set, the NIRSA Research Grant Program, and the Recreational Sports Journal. Your support also helps relieve the nationwide shortage of young officials by training student officials at NIRSA Championship Series events.

When you donate to the NIRSA Foundation, you provide opportunities that support and strengthen your NIRSA family and campus rec communities. By making a gift and paying it forward, you demonstrate your commitment to the current and future leaders of campus recreation and you ensure the thriving future of our profession.

“I’m encouraging NIRSA members to seek opportunities to be a part of the solutions to issues facing student and professional members alike,” says Laura Thomas, 2018 Will Holsberry Scholarship recipient. “Find a fit when it comes to giving back.”

Your voices spread the word

Help “fuel your network” and spread the word about the NIRSA Foundation’s #GivingTuesday goals on social media for a chance to with a $25 Amazon gift card! We want to hear why you give back to the NIRSA family: Is it because of a mentor who nurtured your personal and professional path? Is it because of a life or career-changing experience you had at a NIRSA conference or institute? Is it because of your fabulous coworkers and staff? Let us know!

Here’s how to participate in the contest and help spread the word after making your #GivingTuesday donation:

  1. On November 27, post a photo representing your “why” with a brief description on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram.
  2. Use these hashtags in your post: #givingtuesday #NIRSAfamily.
  3. Tag the NIRSA Foundation in your post:
    1. Facebook: @NIRSAFoundation
    2. Twitter: @NIRSAfoundation
    3. Instagram: @nirsa_foundation
  4. The person who posts the most-liked photo across all platforms wins the $25 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to keep an eye on our social media to learn more about the impact your gifts have on your NIRSA family and to hear from members who have benefited from your generosity.