Thanks to the incredible support of our faculty, staff, alumni, parents, students and friends, Canisius Giving Day 2026 was a huge success!
As of Thursday, a total of 1,428 gifts were made, contributing $774,213 in support of the dozens of initiatives submitted by our campus partners.
And more than 170 gifts were made by current or former, faculty or staff, unlocking the Faculty and Staff Challenge from J. Patrick Greenwald, resulting in a $10,000 donation to the Kenneth Koessler Faculty Development Fund. Patrick was so impressed by how quickly the challenge was released that he made a pledge for an additional $5,000 to the same fund, making his total donation $15,000. Thank you Pat for your generosity and thank you faculty and staff for coming through!
It is truly incredible to see members of the Canisius community from far and wide coming together and investing in the areas and initiatives that make a Canisius education special. Most of all, Giving Day showcases the power of Griffins coming together in support of our students – YOU make it possible!
If there are any faculty or staff that made a gift and did not get one of our “It’s a great day to be a Griff” magnets please email mitrovij@canisius.edu and we’ll make sure you get one!
Today is Canisius Giving Day – and Petey is out and about helping us to spread the word!
Giving Day is our 24‑hour celebration of the spirit, generosity, and community that make Canisius such a special place and our goal for the day is to reach 1,400 donations.
There is also a special challenge just for faculty and staff – J. Patrick Greenwald, who many of you have worked with during his 48 years here at Canisius, has agreed to make a $10,000 contribution to the Kenneth Koessler Faculty Development Fund—contingent upon 75 current or former faculty or staff members making a gift on Giving Day.
Your gift can be directed to the area of the university that holds the most meaning for you, whether that’s an academic department, student success, or any other cause you’re passionate about. Giving Day is all about participation, and every gift—regardless of size—makes a difference!
We are excited to announce that Canisius Giving Day is just around the corner! Our annual 24-hour online celebration of community and giving is Wednesday, March 25 – less than a week away!
Canisius Giving Day is all about participation – our goal for the day is to reach 1,400 donations.
There is also a special challenge just for faculty and staff – J. Patrick Greenwald, who many of you have worked with during his 48 years here at Canisius, has agreed to make a $10,000 contribution to the Kenneth Koessler Faculty Development Fund—contingent upon 75 current or former faculty or staff members making a gift on Giving Day
Faculty and staff can make an early gift hereto whichever area of the university means the most to you – help us complete this challenge!
Also, be sure to check out this year’s Giving Day kick-off video (above). You’ll see a few familiar faces from around campus!
Canisius Giving Day is fast approaching on Wednesday, March 25 and we are looking for submissions from our campus partners for initiatives. If your department or group would like to have a fundraising page on Giving Day you can submit your information through a simple google form. Department Chairs and Program Directors can work with their deans and/or members of the SLT to develop ideas and fundraising priorities.
Submit your initiative through our Google formby Friday, February 13
If you have any questions about the submission process please don’t hesitate to reach out to Canisius Fund Director Jessica Mitrovits at 716-888-2711 or mitrovij@canisius.edu. Our team is looking forward to working with you!
Last week, generous alumnus and Board of Trustees member, Jerry Canada ’86 agreed to match all donations to the Canisius Fund up to $50,000. Our Golden Griffin supporters truly rose to the challenge and 145 donors gave over $55,000 to help us reach our goal for the week. Combined, over $100,000 came in to support Canisius students from December 1-5. What a great way to kick off the Christmas season!
