Dear Colleagues,

Fall marks the annual Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC), an effort among the Commonwealth’s state agencies to encourage giving to the nonprofit organizations that support and strengthen our communities. UVA has a long and proud history of participation in CVC; in fact, UVA has led all state agencies in giving since the CVC’s inception over 25 years ago.

That said, this year’s effort will be different than in years past, and as a result we will need your help more than ever. The Commonwealth is transitioning to a new gift processing partner, which ultimately will be responsible for matching state employees’ donations to their chosen charities from among hundreds of participating organizations across Virginia. During this transition period, several state agencies – including UVA and UVA Health – will not be able to participate through payroll deduction. Instead, the CVC is providing a method for credit or debit card donations. 

Historically, most UVA and UVA Health employees have preferred to give through payroll deduction, so we know this will be an inconvenient change for many. For this year, the needs in our community remain, as does our commitment to support the organizations that serve our region. Simply stated, it’s far more important that you consider giving than how you give.

We ask you to continue doing what the UVA community has done for decades: Be a good neighbor to our region by donating to a nonprofit of your choosing. 

There are two ways to do this:

• “Give Where You Live” by giving directly to a nonprofit of your choice, regardless of whether they are officially participating in CVC. There are hundreds of organizations in our region, supporting everything from early childhood education to the environment to housing and food security. This page provides several resources and nonprofits you might consider supporting. Because your gift would be direct, your donation would not be subject to the CVC’s 10% administrative fee, meaning your entire contribution goes directly to the organization.
• Give through the CVC’s website by using a credit or debit card, by following these steps:
  • Choose a local organization you would like to support under “Find Your Charity” at top of the page.
  • Select Credit Card option and follow the prompts. Note: While you will notice a Payroll Deduction option listed, some state agencies, including UVA and UVA Health, are not able to participate in payroll deduction this year. 

In addition to encouraging individual contributions, your school or unit may wish to consider adopting an organization or holding fund-raisers. Creativity will be especially welcome this year. If you have questions about this year’s options for giving, please send them to cvcquestions@virginia.edu. 

Local nonprofits continue to provide important services for our neighbors, including food, health care, education, programs for youth, crisis support, and housing assistance. However you choose to give, we urge you to continue UVA’s proud tradition of support to the many organizations that serve our community, city, region and state. 

Best,

Jennifer (J.J.) Wagner Davis
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
2023 Honorary Campaign Chair

Kevin G. McDonald
Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Partnerships
Campaign Co-Chair

Dave Martel
Vice President for Communications and Chief Marketing Officer
Campaign Co-Chair

Give Where You Live