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Turn your service hours into dollars to donate

You’re a senior or recent grad who cares about supporting Stanford students and causes in your communities. But it can be difficult to do it all with limited time and resources. Thanks to the generosity of alumni challengers, you can do both at once through Dollars for Doers!

Dollars for Doers header

How it works

For every hour you volunteer (up to 10 hours) between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024, you’ll unlock $25 to donate to an area of undergraduate life you care about through The Stanford Fund.

Students build a structure with drills on wood
Step 1

You’re a senior or recent graduate

Age is just a number. But for this challenge, you can only participate if you’re a current senior or you graduated between 2020 and 2023.

For seniors, this challenge counts toward your Class of 2024 senior gift!

Volunteering food bank
Step 2

Volunteer somewhere for up to 10 hours

Volunteer at a nonprofit organization of your choice, or find an opportunity through the Haas Center or Beyond the Farm. Volunteer service must be completed at time of submission; no future volunteer service will be accepted.

Read more about the rules in the FAQs below.

two students plant seedlings in a garden
Step 3

Submit your hours to unlock your gift

Once you complete your service, fill out this brief form to submit your hours to The Stanford Fund team. It’ll only take a minute, and you’ll have the opportunity to choose where you’d like to direct your gift.

Ready to join the challenge? Submit your volunteer hours here:

Frequently asked questions

  • You can volunteer at any nonprofit organization of your choosing (Stanford affiliated or not), as long as your service qualifies under the challenge guidelines (see next question).

    Not sure where to start? Consider some of these options:

    Is there a volunteer opportunity you’d like to recommend? Email The Stanford Fund and let us know!

  • Eligible U.S. charitable organizations must be either:

    • Tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and not classified as: private foundations, family foundations, political organizations, or fraternal organizations.

    • Accredited public PreK-12 schools or school districts in the United States to which contributions are tax-deductible under the Internal Revenue Code.

    Eligible non-U.S. charitable organizations must be either: 

    • Recognized by and registered with the United Kingdom Charity Commission as a charitable organization (United Kingdom Charity Commission website). 

    • Recognized by Charities Aid Foundation-America as a charitable organization. An alum can search on the website to determine whether their organization is included in that listing. CAFAmerica website

    The following organizations or categories of service are NOT eligible for a gift match through this challenge:

    • Any hours of service to religious organizations (e.g., churches, synagogues, mosques, or other houses of worship) when volunteer activities are primarily religious or sectarian in nature. Volunteering in support of programs that are non-sectarian, open to all individuals regardless of religious beliefs, and beneficial to a broad community (i.e., serving at homeless shelters, working at soup kitchens, or providing other social services) will be considered for match credit. You may be asked to provide additional information about the community project to receive match credit.

    • Any hours of service that result in advertisements or other promotions of an individual’s business activities.

    • Any hours of service that provide benefits directly to any individual, alum, or their families.

    • Any organization that discriminates based on race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, veteran status, disability status, or espouses hate.

  • We’re currently accepting hours for service completed between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024.

  • Fill out the form. That’s it! We’ll be in touch to confirm that your service and gift have been counted.

  • Any current senior or undergraduate alum from the classes of 2020 through 2024 can take advantage of this challenge. 

  • We understand that senior year and the first few years after graduation are often a time of transition. You might be looking for jobs, moving, or attending grad school, and that can make giving back challenging. Our Dollars for Doers alumni sponsors wanted to offer you  a simple way to  give back and stay connected to Stanford and your communities.

  • Yes! Any completed Beyond the Farm project hours will count towards the challenge. Just fill out our form!

    If you’re looking to lead or attend a Beyond the Farm project this year, please visit the program’s website.

  • First off, great work and thank you for giving back! You can continue to help by sharing this page with your classmates and urging them to participate alongside you.

    We also encourage you to stay in touch with The Stanford Fund and Stanford any way you can: attend events, volunteer your time, and write to let us know what you'd like from us in the future.

Have additional questions or interested in earning volunteer hours through The Stanford Fund?

Reach out to us at thestanfordfund@stanford.edu

(We promise a human will respond to you!)

Volunteering gardening

What your gift can support

You can choose to designate your gift to any of these areas supported through The Stanford Fund.

financial aid

Education through scholarships, not loans

Contribute to a more equitable future in Stanford education.

Community centers

A place for everyone

Promote justice, belonging, and equity on campus with a gift toward the Centers for Equity, Community, and Leadership.

The Opportunity Fund

A helping hand

Support undergraduate students with flexible grants to cover unexpected expenses.

Student social life

Memories and traditions

Sustain the campus-wide events and programming that make the Stanford experience fulfilling, unique, and fun.

Undergraduate academics

Innovative curriculum

Support all undergraduate majors and create an exceptional academic experience.

Mental health resources

Compassion and care

Help increase appointment capacity at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), expand virtual and telephone visits, and improve community outreach.

Student groups

Connection and belonging

Support the student-led organizations that help undergraduates develop new skills, build connections, and pursue their passions.

All of the above!

Support all these important initiatives with one gift through The Stanford Fund.

About the challengers

Paul Yoo

Paul Yoo, ’06

“I joined this challenge because our time, treasures, and relationships find their noblest form in building and serving our community. Through service, we learn that a person's momentary grace can make life infinitely beautiful.”

Logan McClure Davda

Logan McClure Davda, ’08

“Stanford is an incredible community of passionate humans. I’m excited to participate in this challenge in order to give all seniors and recent grads the opportunity to support the issues they care most about on campus.”

Heidi Boyd

Heidi Boyd, ’07

“All Stanford alumni have a responsibility to give back to their local and global communities. I'm excited to take part in a program that can help recent grads deepen their linkages to the university while also forging linkages with in-need organizations and populations.”

Volunteering drive