Forms and FAQs

Thank you for your interest in participating in the 24-Hour Challenge!

To get all fund pages updated and approved in time for the 24-Hour Challenge on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, please ensure all forms are submitted by Friday, February 28, 2025. Any incomplete forms or submissions after February 28 will not be included in this year’s challenge. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to challenge@rice.edu. We also have a list of frequently asked questions below that may be helpful.

Frequently asked questions:

An example fund page on the GiveCampus platform with specs for the elements can be found here.  

What is the 24-Hour Challenge?

The 24-Hour Challenge is a one-day, university-wide fundraiser that offers a unique opportunity to raise donations on a comprehensive giving platform. The Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) division will build campaign pages to support qualified entities’ unique fundraising objectives via this platform. The giving platform makes it easy for the greater Rice community to find and support its favorite university causes during the 24-Hour Challenge.

When is the 24-Hour Challenge?

Wednesday, April 2, 2025 is the challenge with early giving beginning on March 26th. The challenge website is challenge.rice.edu.

What fund(s) should I promote in the 24-Hour Challenge?

While this answer varies depending on who’s asking, we generally encourage 24-Hour Challenge participants to prioritize the fund(s) that best highlight their current goals and objectives. Past participants have seen better results by focusing on a few dedicated funds instead of promoting every possible fund. If you have questions about deciding what fund(s) to promote, please get in touch with challenge@rice.edu, and we’ll be happy to assist.

Can I still promote a fund in the 24-Hour Challenge if I don't have a Fund ID?

An existing Fund ID is required to collect donations in the 24-Hour Challenge. If you don't have a Fund ID, email mboyd@rice.edu to discuss potentially using an existing Fund ID for this year’s 24-Hour Challenge or setting up a Fund ID for next year.

Can I still promote my fund(s) if I don’t have all the required information ready by February 28?

Due to the complexity and timing of building fund pages for qualified partners across campus, we require all forms to be submitted by Friday, February 28, 2025.  

If you have extenuating circumstances, please email mboyd@rice.edu to discuss possibly using an existing Fund ID for this year’s 24-Hour Challenge or setting up a Fund ID for next year. 

Do I have to resubmit a form to promote a fund page featured in last year’s 24-Hour Challenge?

No. If you had a fund page in last year’s 24-Hour Challenge and don’t have any changes, you don’t need to submit a form. Your fund will automatically be added to this year’s 24-Hour Challenge website using the same information as last year.  

If you want to keep the fund active but change the copy or imagery, please use the Edit an existing fund form. The funds featured last year are still viewable on challenge.rice.edu for reference.  

Will I be able to see and approve my new/updated fund pages before the site goes live?

Yes, we will share staging links with the primary contacts for each active fund page by March 7. Contacts will have until March 14 to provide any feedback before the pages go live on March 26 - a week before the challenge for any who may want to encourage early giving. During the feedback window, we ask that edit requests be limited only to essential and necessary changes or fixing any errors.

What is a sub-challenge?

Sub-challenges are matching gift opportunities that groups or individuals can offer in addition to the overall university challenge. They are highly effective in motivating donors. Sub-challenges can be large and cover multiple funds. For example, the Jones Graduate School of Business unlocked $100,000 when they reached $100,000 in donations across all their funds. Sub-challenges can also be dedicated to a single fund. For example, Rice360 unlocked a $2,500 gift for Rice360 Internships when they reached 25 donors.

Can I offer additional incentives to donors?

No, we cannot offer physical items or experiences to anyone who donates during the 24-Hour Challenge. Instead, we encourage utilizing sub-challenges and offering matching gifts when specific donor/dollar goals are met. Donors are highly motivated to give with these sub-challenges. 

What other support does DAR offer for the 24-Hour Challenge?

In addition to building and maintaining the giving platform that hosts the 24-Hour Challenge, DAR will provide partners with a toolkit with elements to help you promote your fund(s) directly with your constituents, including logos, copy templates and digital graphics for email, social media and web. We will aim to share this toolkit 3-4 weeks before the 24-Hour Challenge and will send it directly to anyone listed as the primary contact for an active fund page.

We will also create and execute a series of emails and social media posts promoting the 24-Hour Challenge to the Rice community, including all alumni, current parents, faculty/staff and friends.

Can I promote my fund(s) directly with my constituents?

Absolutely! Engaging with your constituents and directly promoting your funds often lead to better results. As challenge day approaches, DAR will provide a toolkit with branded graphics and suggested copy to the primary contacts for active fund pages.

However, we ask that all participants adhere to the email schedule DAR will provide to ensure we’re not messaging the same audiences simultaneously. The OwlConnect/BBIS platforms have previously experienced technical issues when several people are trying to use it simultaneously, so it’s vital that participants only send emails during their designated time slots. DAR will send an email schedule to the primary contacts of each active fund page approximately 3-4 weeks before the challenge.