10 Years of Making a Difference
This year marks the 10-year anniversary of 40 Hours for the Forty Acres, The University of Texas at Austin’s annual day of giving — and a yearly celebration of Longhorns helping Longhorns.
Over the last decade, 40 for Forty has become one of the U.S.’ most popular and successful university giving days. Because everything is bigger in Texas, our campaign is super-sized, too: For 40 hours each year, Longhorns around the world are united by the power of giving back to one another.
Hundreds of student organizations, campus programs, research projects, UT museums and academic departments participate in 40 for Forty each year, and donors especially love to give back to UT students.
During every 40 for Forty, alumni, students, faculty and staff, Longhorn families and friends like you fund scholarships, provide the budget for research projects, give student interns a helping hand through stipends, and even fund travel to academic and athletic competitions around the world.
Last spring, Andrea Kalani, a senior mechanical engineering major, led 40 for Forty fundraising for Longhorn Racing, UT’s student chapter of the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers and American Solar Challenge. Each year, Longhorn Racing members design and build three Formula-style race cars — combustion, electric and solar — to compete against other student teams and teach kids about engineering through community outreach. All that work is funded by gifts like yours.
Andrea Kalani, Senior
President, Longhorn Racing
Andrea Kalani, Senior
President, Longhorn Racing
“Donations during 40 for Forty help us get the materials and supplies we need to design, manufacture and learn in a safe environment,” Andrea says. “With the help of our donors, we were able to build three cars and hundreds of engineers.”
For many alumni donors, 40 for Forty is a special chance to give back to the programs that meant the most to them during their time as students.
Since 2014, alumni and friends of the Longhorn Band have rallied gifts to the Longhorn Alumni Band General Scholarship Fund, which supports dozens of endowed scholarships and hundreds of Longhorn band members each year.
“40 for Forty has given Longhorns the chance to give back to the things that matter most to them,” says Kent Kostka, B.A. ’91, president of the Longhorn Alumni Band Charitable Fund’s board of trustees.
“For the Longhorn Band, the results have been amazing, helping us more than double the number of badly needed scholarships for band students. 40 for Forty is definitely going to lead the way to help bring the Longhorn Band into the SEC as the best-supported band in the nation.”
Whether you’ve chosen to support a scholarship, a student organization or another UT cause close to your heart, your support during 40 for Forty has made an incredible difference — and your impact only continues to grow.
In its first year, 40 for Forty raised a respectable $140,000 from almost 2,000 donors. Today, we can count on 7,000 Longhorns to participate in UT’s celebration of generosity, with 2022’s total topping $11.5 million in gifts.
You can help make our 10th Forty for Forty the best yet!
Mark your calendar and make your gift April 10 – 11.
Did You Know?
Nearly 25% of all 40 for Forty gifts have gone to support UT RecSports club and intramural teams.
The Longhorn Band leads total 40 for Forty support, with more than $1.7 million raised in the last decade! Ready to back the band? Make your gift now!
World Changer
More from this series
You’re Protecting Texas’ Natural Resources
Gifts from UT’s alumni and friends supports world-changing student and faculty research through the Texas Field Station Network.
Deep Tech, Deep Engagement, Deep Impact
Support for UT’s Discovery to Impact programs connects Longhorn students with world-changing startups.
Thanks to You
A message of thanks from Vice President David Livingston.