On December 2, 2025, California State University, San Bernardino executed a high-energy giving day to drive philanthropic participation among alumni, faculty, staff, students, and community supporters during a year of significant staffing reduction. Operating with a 67% decrease in full-time annual giving staff, the goal was to raise $150,000 and engage 750 donors within a defined 24-hour window. To cut through year-end donor fatigue, the Annual Giving team launched a gamified campaign—“Detective Cody’s Case of the Missing Donation Box.” A CSUSB student volunteer served as the Coyote mascot, portraying Detective Cody as he investigated the fictional disappearance of $50,000 in Giving Tuesday funds. The storyline generated significant campus buzz, with students and employees actively questioning whether funds were truly lost. Twelve student-centered initiatives were framed as investigative “case files,” supported by scripted mockumentary videos, teaser messaging, puzzles, live leaderboards, and themed campus activations. The campaign ultimately raised $186,710, exceeding its goal by 24.5% and increasing revenue 7.3% year-over-year. With a $17,000 investment, the initiative generated an approximate 11:1 return on investment, demonstrating that creative differentiation and disciplined execution can deliver high-impact giving day results within a lean staffing model.
From the Judges
Gamifying a day of giving to cut through the noise is smart and strategic, and the playful element of the detective/missing funds is well executed in this campaign. The student videos have great production value and the results exceeded goals.
