Bearcat Bands

Give to the Bearcat Bands

Gifts enable us to further provide every student with the best possible experience. Much of our external support comes from monthly and annual givers in a variety of amounts. No gift is too small; all are significant.

Inspired by the Marching Band’s 65+ year traditional CHARGE! down the Nippert Stadium steps at home football games, Charge into the Next Century is the Bearcat Bands’ initiative to put a quality instrument in the hands of every band member.

The Bearcat Bands include nearly 350 students participating in the spirit band program (marching band, color guard, twirlers, and pep bands); multiple concert bands; jazz ensembles; various brass, woodwind, and percussion ensembles; and educational clinics.

Replace | Repair | Endow

Our goals are to:

1.    Provide a one-time sweep of the Bearcat Bands’ instrument inventory,
2.    Allow for additional instrument purchases to accommodate the growth and popularity of the band,
3.    Endow a fund for ongoing instrument acquisition and maintenance.

Many students in the band currently use their own personal instruments in all weather conditions. A good number of instruments in the school-owned inventory are much depreciated and even irreparable. It is uncommon for peer-institution band programs to have an arrangement such as ours, where students are heavily depended upon to provide and repair their own instruments.

The success of this fundraising campaign is critical to ensure the band is inclusive and accessible to students, and for the uniformity of the band’s sound and appearance resulting from the consistent use of high-quality, matching instruments:

    Students would not be turned away from participation in the band because they do not have an instrument.
    Repairs to personal and school instruments would not need to be substantially or wholly subsidized by students.
    All students would have access to an instrument for use in all weather conditions.
    The band director would have increased capacity to ensure the band sounds and looks as it should.

Instrument Level Giving in the following amounts provide the funding to purchase each instrument, including the case, mouthpiece, accessories, and ongoing sanitation and repairs:

    Piccolo: $2,600
    Clarinet: $1,500
    Alto Saxophone: $3,500
    Tenor Saxophone: $4,700
    Baritone Saxophone: $11,600
    Trumpet: $7,200
    Mellophone: $3,000
    Trombone: $6,400
    Baritone: $4,000
    Sousaphone: $15,000
    Marching Snare Drum: $3,100
    Marching Tenor Drums: $5,400
    Marching Bass Drums (variable sizes): $3,200 to $4,300
    Crash Cymbals: $1,900

Help Bearcat Bands Charge into the Next Century by replacing and repairing its instruments!


UC and UC Health employees can give via payroll deduction today. 


Event
Bearcats in the USA Challenge
The first donor in each state will win an additional $50 for the fund they supported.
Event
First-Time Donor Challenge (Tuesday noon to midnight)
Every first-time donor who makes a gift on April 14 will be placed in a drawing. The winner will be awarded an additional $500 to the fund they supported and a UC swag item.
Event
Young Alumni Challenge (Tuesday noon to midnight)
Alumni that graduated between 2015 and 2025 who make a gift on April 14 will be placed in a drawing. The winner will be awarded an additional $500 to the fund they supported and a UC swag item.
Event
Tag a Bearcat Challenge
Tag your Bearcat bestie that should make a gift in honor of UC Day of Giving! To participate in challenge, tag @uofcincyalumni and include #BearcatsGive in your comment. The more Bearcats you tag, the more chances you have to win. We’ll randomly pick one winner to receive $500 to the fund of their choice and a UC gift basket!
Event
1819 Challenge
The 1,819 gift will receive an additional $500 to that fund.
Leaderboard
Kickoff Challenge (Tuesday 12-2 p.m.)
The fund that receives the most gifts in the first tow hours of UC Day of Giving will receive an additional $1,000.
Fund Designation (159)
Leaderboard
Bearcat for Life Challenge (Tuesday 2-3 p.m.)
The fund that receives the most alumni gifts during this hour will receive an additional $1,000.
Fund Designation (159)
Leaderboard
Boldly Bearcat Challenge (Tuesday 5-6 p.m.)
The fund that receives the most dollars during this hour will receive an additional $1,000.
Fund Designation (159)
Event
Down the Drive Ambassador Challenge (Tuesday 9-11 p.m.)
The ambassador with the most gifts attributed to their personal referral link between 9-11 p.m. wins $200 additional dollars to the fund of their choice. *Ambassador must have at least 5 gifts tied to their personal referral link in the timeframe to win. Ambassadors can only win once.
Event
Skyline Challenge (Wednesday 8-10 a.m.)
Every donor who makes a gift in this period will be placed in a drawing. The winner will receive an additional $500 to the fund they supported and a $100 gift card to skyline.
Leaderboard
The Final Countdown Challenge (Wednesday 10 a.m.-noon)
The fund that receives the most gifts during the last two hours will receive an additional $1,000.
Fund Designation (159)
Event
Last Gift Challenge
The last donor to make a gift on UC Day of Giving will win an additional $500 for the fund they supported.
Event
Alumni Couple Challenge (Tuesday noon to midnight)
UC alumni couples who make a gift on April 14 will be placed in a drawing. The winner will be awarded an additional $500 to the fund they supported and a UC swag item.
$750
Parents Challenge
When 100 parents make a gift, $750 is unlocked to the University of Cincinnati Student Emergency Fund.
100 Gift Goal
Event
#BearcatsGive Challenge
We'll randomly pick one winner who uses #BearcatsGive and give $500 to the fund of their choice.
Event
Save the Date Challenge
Help us spread the word about Day of Giving! Share the 2026 UC Day of Giving video on your organization’s or college’s social media channels to be entered in a drawing. Each post is one entry and the UC Alumni Association must be tagged at @uofcincyalumni. The winner will receive an additional $500 to the fund of their choice. Find the video at dayofgiving.uc.edu
Event
First Gift Challenge (Tuesday 12 p.m.)
The first donor to make a gift on UC Day of Giving will win an additional $500 for the fund they supported
Event
Down the Drive Ambassador Challenge (Tuesday 12-2 p.m.)
The ambassador with the most gifts attributed to their personal referral link between 12-2 p.m. wins $200 additional dollars to the fund of their choice. *Ambassador must have at least 5 gifts tied to their personal referral link in the timeframe to win. Ambassadors can only win once.
Event
Down the Drive Ambassador Challenge (Tuesday 3-5 p.m.)
The ambassador with the most gifts attributed to their personal referral link between 3-5 p.m. wins $200 additional dollars to the fund of their choice. *Ambassador must have at least 5 gifts tied to their personal referral link in the timeframe to win. Ambassadors can only win once.
Event
Down the Drive Ambassador Challenge (Tuesday 6-8 p.m.)
The ambassador with the most gifts attributed to their personal referral link 6-8 p.m. wins $200 additional dollars to the fund of their choice. *Ambassador must have at least 5 gifts tied to their personal referral link in the timeframe to win. Ambassadors can only win once.
Leaderboard
All-Nighter Challenge (Tuesday 10 p.m.-Wednesday 7 a.m.)
The fund that receives the most gifts overnight will receive an additional $1,000
Fund Designation (159)
Event
Down the Drive Ambassador Challenge (Wednesday 8-10 a.m.)
The ambassador with the most gifts attributed to their personal referral link 8-10 a.m. wins $200 additional dollars to the fund of their choice. *Ambassador must have at least 5 gifts tied to their personal referral link in the timeframe to win. Ambassadors can only win once.
Event
Down the Drive Ambassador Challenge (Wednesday 10 a.m.-noon)
The ambassador with the most gifts attributed to their personal referral link between 10 a.m. to noon wins $200 additional dollars to the fund of their choice. *Ambassador must have at least 5 gifts tied to their personal referral link in the timeframe to win. Ambassadors can only win once.
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