Washington State University’s 11th annual #CougsGive day of donating was on April 15, 2026. The collective generosity of the Cougar community pushed the event’s fundraising total past the million-dollar mark.

By the time the 24-hour campaign concluded, alumni, students and friends of the university had contributed a total of $1,056,226 through 1,451 individual gifts. This year’s success adds to a decade of philanthropic momentum, bringing the cumulative total raised since the event’s 2015 inception to more than $6.7 million.

Money raised during #CougsGive will support scholarships, emergency financial aid and research programs across the WSU system. The Carson College of Business led the leaderboard with $156,924, followed by the College of Veterinary Medicine with $107,855 and the Honors College with $84,395. The College of Arts and Sciences brought in $79,113, and the WSU Libraries secured $46,600.

Student engagement also hit high marks, as 26 registered student organizations competed for bonus prizes. Cable 8 Productions finished at the top of the student club leaderboard with 40 donors, followed by Sigma Iota with 35.

The impact of individual contributions was significantly amplified by more than $500,000 in matching funds and donor-sponsored challenges. These incentives, which included Early Bird matches and specific goal-based unlocks, allowed donors to double their impact or even get additional gifts once certain milestones were reached.

The 2026 campaign reinforced the university’s culture of giving and the shared commitment to expanding possibilities for the entire WSU system.