Faculty and staff already support University of Minnesota programs and students. This giving initiative is a way to invite others to join, tell their stories, and to convey the importance of faculty and staff giving to the U.

Because of their affiliation, employee participation in giving sends a strong message to other constituents—alumni, friends, parents, students, foundations, corporations, and legislators—that faculty and staff support the vision and direction of the University and are committed to its ongoing excellence.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to give to any area that is important to them. Gifts to any University of Minnesota college, campus, unit, or purpose count. Click here to search for an area to support.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to give to any area that is important to them. Gifts to any University of Minnesota college, campus, unit, or purpose count. Click here to search for an area to support.

Our overriding goal is to deepen the culture and habit of giving among faculty and staff that will live on beyond the scope of Driven. Every gift, no matter the size, brings us closer to realizing this vision. Our primary strategy is to increase overall giving participation among all employees, active and retired.

Since the Driven campaign launched in 2011, more than 12,100 faculty and staff have given to the U. This participation demonstrates employees’ commitment to the mission of the University.

We are inviting all faculty and staff—all employee classifications, part-time and full-time—on all University of Minnesota system campuses, plus University retirees, to participate.

Employees can give to the University at any time of year. Twin Cities campus faculty and staff will be invited to make gifts to the U through the Community Fund Drive in October. Employees systemwide will be invited to give on Give to the Max Day, which is in November each year. Faculty and staff who are U alumni or past donors will continue to receive information on contributing to their college of graduation or the unit they support. Employees may also receive additional communication from areas they support at the U.

First, the University of Minnesota is a nonprofit. It increasingly relies on private support to sustain its levels of excellence. As a nonprofit, the U is transforming lives, advancing new approaches to research and care, protecting and sustaining our planet, and driving innovation. Faculty, staff, and retirees play a special role at the heart of this work. This campaign gives us the opportunity to bring to light the power of the work faculty and staff do every day and celebrate the tremendous commitment they have to the work the U is doing by providing personal financial support.

Secondly, faculty and staff financial support represents much more than dollars. Employee participation is also about signaling the critical role faculty and staff members play as the heart of the institution.

• Recurring credit card, biweekly payroll deduction, and one-time credit card gifts can all be set up online: Online giving site
• Twin Cities employees can give to the U through the Community Fund Drive.
• Employees are encouraged to support their favorite U causes and take advantage of matches and prizes available on the University’s giving day, Give to the Max Day.
• Estate and planned gifts allow a donor to leave money or assets, including retirement plan assets, upon his or her death. For more information, contact UMF planned giving at 612-624-3333 or plgiving@umn.edu.
• Cash, check, or money order can be mailed, along with a gift form, to University of Minnesota Foundation, P.O. Box 860266, Minneapolis, MN 55486-0266.
• Call the University of Minnesota Foundation with questions: 612-624-3333

Yes. Gifts that Twin Cities faculty and staff make to University of Minnesota funds through the annual Community Fund Drive will count toward Driven, the faculty and staff campaign.

Yes! University employees are strongly encouraged to support their favorite U causes on Give to the Max Day, Minnesota’s statewide day of giving. This annual event takes place each November. For several years, the University of Minnesota has embraced this day as the University’s giving day as well. Gifts that faculty and staff make to University of Minnesota funds on Give to the Max Day will count toward Driven and the faculty and staff campaign and will also be eligible for certain matches and prizes.

Yes, they do count toward the campaign.