From the Nominator

Our Fearless Firsts Campaign was launched to engage Black alumni in supporting financial aid for underrepresented students at The Westminster Schools while honoring the legacy of the school’s first Black graduates. The campaign mobilized donors and exceeded the fundraising goal of $150,000 through a strategic approach leveraging community engagement, leadership outreach, digital giving options, and a challenge gift incentive. Using the GiveCampus platform, the campaign focused on building a culture of philanthropy within the Black alumni community. Leadership giving outreach, social media efforts, email campaigns, and a phonathon were implemented to encourage participation. A $25,000 challenge gift was introduced to increase engagement, and donors were given easy payment options such as Venmo and PayPal. Beyond fundraising, the campaign also prioritized philanthropy education and stewardship, ensuring donors understood the historical significance and long-term impact of their contributions. The results were a total of $202,399 raised. We engaged 135 unique donors, including 90 alumni and 39 faculty members. The largest gift was $100,000, with an average gift size of $1,425 and a median gift of $105. The giving levels reflected broad participation: 44% of donors contributed between $1 to $99, 31% gave $100 to $499, and 17% donated between $1,000 to $4,999, while 76% of total funds raised came from gifts of $5,000 or more. By blending history, community, and philanthropy, the Fearless Firsts Scholarship Fund was fully endowed and laid a foundation for long-term support and strengthened engagement across the Black alumni community.

From the Judges

Inspiring program with polished supporting materials and great storytelling. Great alignment with the history of the schools and a good example of cross-institutional collaboration.