On Friday, March 12, Bank Street celebrated its first-ever Giving Day, a 24-hour fundraising campaign that allowed the College community to come together to recognize its enduring mission and further its impact on students, families, and communities.
The inaugural event, which was spearheaded by Bank Street’s Development & Alumni Relations Office (DARO), raised over $63,200, surpassing its $50,000 goal and welcoming the participation of 188 donors, many of whom had donated to Bank Street for the first time. DARO was thrilled by the financial success of the campaign, but also by the enthusiasm and spirit seen from across the Bank Street community around the event.
To organize the event, DARO executed a collaborative planning process that involved finding creative ways for Bank Street to be in community without being physically together due to the pandemic. The team implemented a robust digital campaign to raise awareness of the event and draw special attention to its matching gift campaign funded by generous donors, which doubled all gifts up to a total of $50,000.
Another way the team generated excitement was through rich testimonials from Bank Street community members that spoke to the ways Bank Street has impacted their lives. This included a video featuring the voices of several School for Children teachers who are also Graduate School alumni—a touching way to illustrate how the College’s mission lives through its community. The campaign also offered special gifts, like Bank Street-branded socks, as fun incentives for participation.
“Our community is what makes us so special and our supporters love sharing their experiences as well as hearing from others, said Dominique Mohansingh, Annual Funds Manager, DARO, who led this year’s initiative. “Spotlighting our community members allowed us to highlight unique stories that our internal and external community may not hear often. We believe this played a large part in the success of the campaign.”
Donations made during Giving Day will support the Bank Street Graduate School, School for Children, Family Center, and President’s Fund. Examples of contributions in action include providing innovative technology and resources for young students, financial aid and scholarship opportunities that expand access to Bank Street for graduate students, and operational support that deepens our institutional capacity to serve more communities through education.