September 26, 2023

UWCFD kicks off campaign 2023 this month

Every fall, we welcome students back to campus and we kick off the fall campaign of the UW Combined Fund Drive (UWCFD), your workplace giving program.

Thanks to our donors during our 2022 annual campaign, we raised nearly $2 million to support nonprofits, locally, nationally and around the world.

Campaign 2023 kicks off October 11 – join us!

This year, we are delighted to highlight the incredible work of local nonprofit National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Seattle. Selecting NAMI Seattle as our featured nonprofit this year was easy: it is the only organization in the Seattle area working to fill the gaps in our local mental health system through peer-led education, referrals and support.

“NAMI Seattle is thrilled to partner with the UWCFD to end the stigma of mental illness,” said Jeremiah Bainbridge, Development Manager at NAMI. “The mental health needs in our community are greater than ever and your support provides invaluable services like support groups, education and skills classes, and anti-stigma presentations to ensure individuals and families affected by mental illness have hope and a supportive community.”

NAMI Seattle’s organizational values of kindness, integrity, empowerment and community mirror the values of our generous UW community as well work collectively to remove the stigma of mental illness and support those who are affected by it.

For colleagues at the Bothell or Tacoma campuses or other sites, we have additionally partnered with NAMI of Snohomish and Island Counties and NAMI of Pierce County.

Let’s go! Ways to engage:

First week to give! We’ve got a $5 Starbucks card – courtesy of WSECU – for anyone who makes a new gift of $5 or more, increases an existing gift by $5 or more OR logs an hour of volunteer time between October 11 – 17, 2023.

Lunch & Learns: The UWCFD is delighted to bring you a variety of Lunch & Learn sessions during the annual campaign to facilitate your understanding of and interest in our nonprofit partners. Keep an eye out for our fall lunch & learn schedule!

Virtual nonprofit expo: October 11, 2023 from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. We’ll be online again this year. Visit the first day and in the opening hours of the event, you can visit the with staff hosting nonprofit booths. All the booths will be up throughout the campaign. Check out your old favorites and find your new favorites. This is a great way to learn more about the good work happening here and around the world.

Virtual silent auction: Wednesday, Oct. 11 – Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2023. Join us and support the incredible work of NAMI-Seattle. Your purchase will support the mental health and well-being of our community. There will be cool experiences and tasty treats, gift cards and bottles of bubbly to bid on!

Volunteer as a campaign coordinator: A key element of our success each campaign is the work of creative and committed campaign coordinators who promote the drive within their departments. Want to represent the UWCFD campaign in your department? Email us for more info!

Meet the campaign assistants: The UWCFD is delighted to welcome our 2023 campaign assistants, who will work closely with volunteer campaign coordinators from across the UW’s three campuses and the UW hospitals to make this year’s workplace giving campaign a resounding success.