The Fresno State community raised hundreds of thousands of dollars during the university’s annual Day of Giving, smashing a record.

The 24-hour fundraiser on March 18 totaled $803,173, the university announced Monday. That is a 31% increase over the previous record of $611,173 set in 2025.

“The collective support for Fresno State continues to grow in powerful and inspiring ways,” said Brady Crook, vice president for University Advancement at Fresno State. “I am deeply grateful to our philanthropic partners who have made this year’s Day of Giving a tremendous success… (Their) generosity fuels the programs and opportunities that define our students’ futures and Fresno State’s impact.”

Philanthropic partners and individuals made gifts, directing funds to one of the university’s eight schools and colleges, athletics, or campus programs of their choice. There were 18 “giving areas” and the opportunity to write-in an area.

Fresno State believes “every gift matters” and encourages donations at every level. These donations directly benefit students with scholarships, internships, research, and learning spaces.

Fresno State Gains Donations Across the Globe

Day of Giving, begun in 2017, has grown with funding from across the country and overseas.

A live leaderboard tracked the number of gifts committed through the day, providing real-time updates on the campaign website. A heat map for the United States and countries around the world shows where the donations came from: 44 states and 13 countries.

California generated the most donations, totaling 1,474 gifts. Arizona and Washington tied for second at 27 donations.

Overseas, New Zealand residents donated 15 gifts, and Canada and Australia had eight each.

The event is part of a national trend of dedicated days for fundraising. Since its inception, Day of Giving has raised more than $4.7 million.