Giving to the Givers

Staying true to its central mission to help build a culture of giving of campus, the philanthropically focused student group UCSB First dispersed $4,250 in grants during its 2016 Philanthropy Awards Dinner. The recipients: fellow student organizations with altruism at heart.

The 11 grantees range from Dance Marathon, an annual event on campus that raises money for Cottage Children’s Hospital, to Swipe Out Hunger, which collects donated “swipes” from student meal cards and distributes them to those in need.

“We are grateful for our donors, and we can’t wait to see where this grant money takes the organizations,” said UCSB First co-chair Madison Frame. “We hope that everyone left the awards dinner feeling proud of the work they’re doing in the community and motivated to continue their philanthropic efforts.”

In addition to Dance Marathon and Swipe Out Hunger, grants of $250 each were awarded to Kappa Kappa Gamma, Greeks 4 Kids and Gamma Zeta Alpha. Six organizations each received awards of $500: Love Your Melon, Queer Art Collective, Global Medical Brigades, ZBT, Street Health Outreach, and Phi Delta Epsilon.

“I’m excited to see this program grow and continue to expand,” said Megan Jones, Frame’s UCSB First co-chair. “During the event, one of our speakers referenced a meaningful quote about philanthropy that resonated with me. I feel these words embody the message of UCSB First and the message of the evening: ‘A society grows great when you plant trees whose shade you’ll never sit in.’”

UCSB First boasts an all-student staff overseen by the UCSB Office of Development, with mentorship from the UC Santa Barbara Foundation Board of Trustees. The board has been instrumental in helping UCSB First raise money for the endowment funds for its awards.

Launched in 2010, UCSB First was founded on the belief that engaging current students around philanthropic ideals is the best way to ensure that future alumni are philanthropically inclined. The nearly all-volunteer organization also aims to be a hub for all such student activity through its endowment to support philanthropic efforts on campus.

In addition to the annual awards dinner, UCSB First’s key events also include a Senior Legacy Day to rally the graduating class around the Senior Class Gift, which sees money raised for a specific campus cause.