BIG GIVE IS OVER, BUT YOU CAN STILL SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE PROGRAMS.


Contests

Here's where you can find all of the opportunities to help your favorite schools and programs win extra funds and bragging rights — time-based contests, competitive social media events, and Big Matches. Help your favorite Cal causes glow even more brightly today!

Past Events


$10,000
L&S Advisory Board Challenge #1: 500 Donors
A generous donor on the L&S Advisory Board will contribute $10,000 to the L&S Leadership Fund once the first 500 donors give to any part of the College of Letters & Science.
500 / 500 Donors
Completed
$10,000
L&S Advisory Board Challenge #3: 1,500 Donors
If the College of Letters & Science recruits 1,500 donors to any of its funds, a generous donor on the L&S Advisory Board will give another $10,000 to the L&S Leadership Fund.
1,500 / 1,500 Donors
Completed
$10,000
L&S Advisory Board Challenge #5: 2,400 Donors
A generous donor has challenged the College of Letters & Science to beat its 2023 Big Give total and secure 2,400 donors in order to unlock another $10,000 (for a total of $50,000) for the L&S Leadership Fund!
Completed
Event
Top 5 Programs with the Most You+2 Ambassadors During Big Give
The top 5 programs with the most ambassadors that meet the criteria for You+2 will win additional prize money to the referral area they selected in the Ambassador Dashboard. You must have selected a referral area to be eligible. ($3,500; $2,500; $2,000; $1,000; $500). WINNERS: 1st place (tie): POWER OF A PRINCESS and ZAHANAT; 2nd place: AAAA - FURRIES AT BERKELEY; 3rd place: CAL BAND; 4th place: CALSOL; and 5th place (tie): PROJECT RISHI, INTERMISSION ORCHESTRA, RE-ENTRY STUDENT PROGRAM, and SPACE TECHNOLOGIES AT CALIFORNIA (STAC)
Ended
Event
5 Random Ambassadors that Meet Criteria for You+2 | 9 p.m. to noon
5 random ambassadors that meet the criteria for You+2 will win additional $750 each to the affinity area they selected in the Ambassador Dashboard or the area that they supported. WINNERS: POWER OF A PRINCESS, CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS, CAL BAND, BALLET COMPANY AT BERKELEY, MOTOSTUDENT OF CALIFORNIA!
Ended
Leaderboard
Most Donors | 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Top 2 funds with the most unique donors win prize money ($2,000; $1,000).
Rank Prize Fund Designation Donors
1 $2,000 The Cal Band Annual Fund 54
2 $1,000 Zahanat 43
3 The Cal Alumni Association Fund 33
4 Haas School of Business Fund 30
5 The Berkeley Engineering Fund 27
Ended
Event
Most Faculty and Staff Donors | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Top 2 funds with the most unique faculty and staff donors wins additional prize money ($1,500; $1,000). WINNERS (TIED): EMERYVILLE SATELLITE CAMPUS FUND, HAAS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS FUND!
Ended
Leaderboard
Most Donors | 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Top 2 funds with the most unique donors win prize money ($1,500; $1,000).
Rank Prize Fund Designation Donors
1 $1,500 Zahanat 43
2 $1,000 The PUENTE Project Fund 30
3 The Cal Parents Fund 23
4 AAAA - Furries at Berkeley 23
5 The Berkeley Engineering Fund 22
Ended
Leaderboard
Most Donors | 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Top 2 funds with the most unique donors win prize money ($3,000; $1,500).
Rank Prize Fund Designation Donors
1 $3,000 Azaad 72
2 $1,500 The PUENTE Project Fund 48
3 The Cal Alumni Association Fund 36
4 The Cal Band Annual Fund 34
5 LETTERS & SCIENCE LEADERSHIP FUND 29
Ended
Leaderboard
Most Donors | 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Top 3 fund with the most unique donors win prize money ($5,000; $2,500; $1,000).
Rank Prize Fund Designation Donors
1 $5,000 Formula Electric at Berkeley 267
2 $2,500 The Cal Band Annual Fund 180
3 $1,000 Azaad 81
4 CalSol 76
5 The Berkeley Engineering Fund 39
Ended
Event
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST | Brightest Blue and Gold Memory | 9 p.m. to 10 a.m.
Share your favorite Cal memory on Instagram or X (Twitter). Include #CalBigGive and a program hashtag. Randomly chosen original post wins $500 for its featured program. WINNER: Cloud at California.
Ended
Event
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST | Future Golden Bear | 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Share a photo of a spirited little one cheering on Cal on Instagram or X (Twitter) with your program hashtag and #CalBigGive. A randomly chosen original post wins $500 for their respective program. WINNER: CalSol (UC Berkeley Solar Vehicle Team)
Ended
Event
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST | Who Do You Glow for? | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tell us about (and tag if you wish) your favorite prof, student, friend or person at Cal by filling in the blank on Instagram or X (Twitter), "I give to Cal bc of______ who______" Include #CalBigGive and a program hashtag. Randomly chosen original post wins $500 for its featured program. WINNER: The Intermission Orchestra at Berkeley
Ended
Event
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST | Throwback: A Decade Aglow | 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Big Give turns 10 today! So share a throwback photo from your time at Berkeley to celebrate what the Cal community means to you. Post on Instagram or X (Twitter). Include #CalBigGive, #TBT, and your program hashtag. Randomly chosen original post wins $500 for its featured program. WINNER: Helix @ Berkeley
Ended
$10,000
L&S Advisory Board Challenge #2: 1,000 Donors
A generous donor will give another $10,000 to the L&S Leadership Fund when 1,000 donors make gifts to any College of Letters & Science fund.
1,000 / 1,000 Donors
Completed
$10,000
L&S Advisory Board Challenge #4: 2,000 Donors
A generous donor will contribute another $10,000 to the L&S Leadership Fund as soon as 2,000 donors give to any fund at the College of Letters & Science.
Completed
Leaderboard
Most Donors During Big Give
Top 5 funds with the most unique donors during the 24 hours of Big Give win prize money ($10,000; $5,000; $2,500; $1,000; $500).
Rank Prize Funds Donors
1 $10,000 Formula Electric at Berkeley 601
2 $5,000 The Cal Band Annual Fund 522
3 $2,500 The Berkeley Engineering Fund 443
4 $1,000 Zahanat 387
5 $500 Haas School of Business Fund 349
Ended
Event
Most International Donors | 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
Top 2 funds with the most unique international donors win additional prize money ($1,500; $1,000). WINNERS: PROJECT RISHI AND BERKELEY HAAS FULL-TIME MBA PROGRAM FUND!
Ended
Leaderboard
Most Donors | 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Top 3 fund with the most unique donors win prize money ($2,500; $1,500; $1,000).
Rank Prize Fund Designation Donors
1 $2,500 Project RISHI 62
2 $1,500 The Berkeley Engineering Fund 44
3 $1,000 Haas School of Business Fund 43
4 The Berkeley Basic Needs Fund 36
5 The Cal Band Annual Fund 33
Ended
Leaderboard
Most Donors | 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Top 2 funds with the most unique donors win prize money ($2,000; $1,000).
Rank Prize Fund Designation Donors
1 $2,000 The Cal Parents Fund 75
2 $1,000 Azaad 69
3 American Advertising Federation 64
4 The Berkeley Engineering Fund 52
5 Haas School of Business Fund 41
Ended
Leaderboard
Most Donors | 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Top 2 funds with the most unique donors win prize money ($1,500; $1,000).
Rank Prize Fund Designation Donors
1 $1,500 Space Technologies and Rocketry (STAR) 67
2 $1,000 Zahanat 63
3 The Center for Educational Partnerships Fund 53
4 The Berkeley Engineering Fund 33
5 The Cal Parents Fund 29
Ended
Leaderboard
Most Donors | 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Top 3 funds with the most unique donors win prize money ($2,500; $1,500; $1,000).
Rank Prize Fund Designation Donors
1 $2,500 Zahanat 136
2 $1,500 The Cal Band Annual Fund 113
3 $1,000 The Cal Parents Fund 80
4 LETTERS & SCIENCE LEADERSHIP FUND 45
5 Haas School of Business Fund 38
Ended
Leaderboard
Most Donors | 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Top 2 funds with the most unique donors win prize money ($5,000; $2,500).
Rank Prize Fund Designation Donors
1 $5,000 Formula Electric at Berkeley 217
2 $2,500 Space Enterprise at Berkeley 195
3 SKY Campus Happiness Club at Berkeley 133
4 Space Technologies and Rocketry (STAR) 102
5 The Berkeley Engineering Fund 48
Ended
Leaderboard
Most Donors | 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Top 3 funds with the most unique donors wins additional prize money ($2,500; $1,500; $1,000).
Rank Prize Fund Designation Donors
1 $2,500 Cal Triathlon 106
2 $1,500 Formula Electric at Berkeley 97
3 $1,000 Space Technologies at California 53
4 The Cal Band Annual Fund 49
5 Haas School of Business Fund 44
Ended
Event
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST | What Do You Glow for? | 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Fill in the blank on Instagram or X (Twitter), "[Program hashtag] deserves Big Give love bc_______" Include #CalBigGive and a program hashtag. Randomly chosen original post wins $500 for its featured program. WINNER: Space Enterprise Berkeley.
Ended
Event
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST | Friends of Oski | 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Share a photo of your pet in their Cal gear on Instagram or X (Twitter) with your program hashtag and #CalBigGive. A randomly chosen original post wins $500 for their respective program. WINNER: Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Ended
Event
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST | Show Your Cal Spirit | 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Share a photo of you and/or your friends in your best blue and gold gear on Instagram or X (Twitter), including your program hashtag and #CalBigGive. A randomly chosen original post wins $500 for their respective program. WINNER: Eta Kappa Nu
Ended