Award: Bronze

Institution: University of Waterloo

Title of Entry: Student Emergency Support Fund Appeal

About this Entry: COVID-19 has presented a challenge unlike anything the University of Waterloo has faced in its history. Campus life has been disrupted, creating uncertainty in students’ lives through the loss of part-time jobs and co-op work terms, travel restrictions, and the struggle to meet unexpected expenses related to housing, food and technology to support remote learning.

In March, Waterloo Region announced its first case of COVID-19. In the days that followed, the University cancelled all travel outside Canada. The Winter term shifted online, non-critical lab operations were suspended, and students were encouraged to move out of residence. As stories of personal hardship began to surface, community members asked how they could help Waterloo students. In response, the University created the Student Emergency Support Fund (SESF) in April. Our goal was to provide students with short-term financial help to meet immediate, unexpected expenses caused by the pandemic.

To promote the SESF, a special fundraising appeal was launched by the Annual Giving team on April 6. The appeal was a three-part email drip campaign (see File Attachment #1). The SESF was promoted via the University website, social media channels, Impact Stories webpage (see URL #2), and our daily campus e-news. Stewardship consisted of a four-part email series (see File Attachment #2), one of which contained a video message of thanks from Waterloo’s president (see URL #1).

The SESF appeal was the most successful annual giving fundraising effort in the University’s history, raising over $655,000 from almost 2,100 donors in just three weeks.