Founders’ Day Challenge

Founders’ Day Challenge is an annual competition that raises funds to support the mission of Lambda Chi Alpha and celebrate the founding of our Brotherhood.

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Celebrating Our Founding

2025 Founders' Day Challenge logoFounders’ Day Challenge is an annual fundraising competition supporting Lambda Chi Alpha.

Dollars raised support officer training, conferences, programs, scholarships, disaster relief, volunteer support, and more. Your gift helps tomorrow’s leaders find their footing today.

Your donation is tax-deductible. Donate by 11:59 p.m. PST on November 3.

Chapter teams will compete throughout the campaign based on both total dollars raised and number of donors. The top three chapters in participation (donors) and impact (dollars) will receive special recognition and awards.

Founders’ Day Challenge occurs annually, counting all gifts to our We Believe Fund for the leaderboard until the giving deadline at 11:59 pm PST on November 3.

For more information on how to give by check, bank transfer, IRA, stock, or donor-advised fund, email our team at foundation@lambdachi.org, or call (317) 803-7357.

Become an Ambassador

Ambassadors support the Founders’ Day Challenge by encouraging Brothers to donate – you can join your Chapter team and create a fundraiser page to help spread the word.

For additional information, please contact Shelby Parr at sparr@lambdachi.org or (317) 803-7352.

What is the Founders’ Day Challenge?

Founders’ Day Challenge is an annual fundraising campaign, held over Founders’ Day – November 2 – to support Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation and celebrate our brotherhood.

Every dollar raised supports our brothers by providing access to educational conferences, programs, scholarships, chapter support, and tools to succeed in college and beyond.

Chapter teams will compete throughout the campaign based on both total dollars raised and number of donors. The top three chapters in participation (donors) and impact (dollars) will receive special recognition and awards.

Founders’ Day Challenge occurs annually with a giving deadline occurring on or just after November 2, the founding day of the Fraternity.

What does Founders’ Day Challenge support?

Brothers and friends have donated over $3.7 million for the Founders’ Day Challenge since 2021.

Thanks to contributions from donors, $1.9M was invested last year for our core areas of mission support: growth, service and leadership.

  • $300,322 for programs that foster belonging, growth, and skills development, informed by research to benefit our Members.
  • $292,802 for programs that foster volunteerism, philanthropy, and financial assistance for our Brothers.
  • $611,421 for programs that foster leadership skills and potential, helping the leaders of tomorrow find their footing today.

In order to continue funding the educational initiatives of the Fraternity at 100% and invest in the next generation of members, we are asking Brothers and friends of Lambda Chi to support the Founders’ Day Challenge each year.

What makes it a challenge?

Chapter teams will compete throughout the campaign based on both total dollars raised and number of donors in three (3) separate divisions:

  • Purple Division: Chapters that are dormant or inactive
  • Green Division: Chapters with 59 or fewer active undergraduates
  • Gold Division: Chapters with 60 or more active undergraduates

Rules of the Founders’ Day Challenge:

  1. There will be eighteen (18) overall winners across three (3) divisions, with each division awarding 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for highest participation (# of donors giving) and greatest impact (# of dollars raised).
  2. Chapters that achieve 100% undergraduate participation in the Mason’s Circle Challenge will also be recognized as chapter winners.
  3. The challenge ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on November 3.
  4. Donors must give a minimum of $5 to be counted and may only be credited for a chapter once.
What are the prizes for winners?

1st Place – Two Winners – Most Donors | Most Dollars:

  • Founders’ Day Challenge Cup Trophy
  • Recognized in the Cross & Crescent and on official Lambda Chi Alpha social media channels
  • Recognized during High Zeta Summit

2nd Place – Two Winners – Most Donors | Most Dollars:

  • Recognized in the Cross & Crescent and on official Lambda Chi Alpha channels
  • Recognized during High Zeta Summit

3rd Place – Two Winners – Most Donors | Most Dollars:

  • Recognized in the Cross & Crescent and on official Lambda Chi Alpha channels
  • Recognized during High Zeta Summit

Mason’s Circle Challenge (Chapters with 100% Undergraduate Members Giving $19.09 or more):

  • Founders’ Day Challenge Mason’s Circle Trophy
  • Recognized in the Cross & Crescent and on official Lambda Chi Alpha channels
  • Recognized during High Zeta Summit
Is my gift tax deductible? Will I receive a receipt?

Yes! Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization and all gifts received are tax-deductible.

You will receive an email confirmation receipt almost immediately after giving online.

All donors, whether they give online or through another method, will receive a mailed thank you letter and receipt once the challenge concludes.

Please retain any email or mailed receipts for tax purposes.

Do I have to give online?

Not at all! You can give via check, IRA, donor advised fund, stock, crypto, etc.

Email our team at foundation@lambdachi.org to learn more or share your plans to give and we will add your donation to the tally.

Donors should make checks payable to Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation, indicating in the memo line your gift is for the Founders’ Day Challenge.

Gifts must arrive by November 1 to be counted.

Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation
Attn: Founders’ Day Challenge
10 W Carmel Drive, Suite 220
Carmel, IN 46032

Please contact one of our team members for questions or to give by phone.

Can my company match my donation?

Many companies will match charitable giving for both current and retired employees. Your impact could be doubled or even tripled with corporate gift matching.

Learn more by searching our database of companies with matching gift programs.

When submitting a matching gift through your company’s portal you may need the following information:

Federal Tax ID Number (EIN): 13-6266432

Address: Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation, Inc., 10 W. Carmel Drive, Suite 220, Carmel, IN 46032

Contact Information:  Shelby Parr | (317) 872-8000 Ext. 1214 | sparr@lambdachi.org

10-for-1 Challenge

Honor Your Initiation Tenfold

We invite Alumni Brothers to honors their initiation into the Brotherhood by tenfold.

Make a gift of $10 for every year since you’ve been initiated!

Leaderboard Updates

Chapter Team Standings

Chapter teams compete throughout the campaign based on both total dollars raised and number of donors.

The top three chapters in participation (donors) and impact (dollars) will receive special recognition and awards.

Where does your Chapter team stand? Find out by viewing the leaderboard!

Past Challenge Winners

Historical Results

Introduced in 2016 as the Day of Giving, this annual fundraising event rallies undergraduate members, alumni brothers, and friends of the fraternity in support of Lambda Chi Alpha.

View the previous results from this annual fundraising competition and the past winners!

History Members
Receive Updates

Join Our Facebook Group

Get insider announcements about the Founders’ Day Challenge launch and keep up with all the leaderboard updates and stories shared on the day of the event!

FDC Earns Award of Distinction

Award Recognition for the Founders’ Day Challenge

Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation was honored by the Foundation for Fraternal Excellence with a 2023 Award of Distinction recognizing our 2022 Founders’ Day Challenge for raising over $2M.

The Foundation for Fraternal Excellence Awards of Distinction provide the fraternal foundation community an annual opportunity to recognize organizations excelling and innovating in a particular area.

Awarded members
Invest in Lambda Chi Alpha

Your Support is Essential

Alumni support is essential to ensuring that Lambda Chi Alpha remains a premier fraternity experience.

As the Foundation engages with both new and faithful donors and the Brothers benefitting from their support, we are learning more about the needs of young men today and the opportunity to provide them with purpose and connection through our Brotherhood.

Learn about how you can invest in Lambda Chi Alpha.

Join the 5th annual Founders' Day Challenge!
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