Frequently Asked Questions

Founders’ Day Challenge is an annual fundraising campaign, held over 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 for a period of 1,909 minutes ending on November 2, the founding day of the Fraternity.

Who will win the Founders' Day Challenge? View the Leaderboard here.

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 5:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 2.
4. Donors must give a minimum of $5 to be counted and may only be credited for a chapter once.

Who will win the Founders' Day Challenge? View the Leaderboard here.

Awards for the Challenge Winners (most dollars and most donors) in each division.

Purple Division
Dormant or Inactive Chapters

Green Division
59 or Fewer Undergraduate

Gold Division
60 or More Undergraduates

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 2025 High Alpha Summit and Neville Advisor's College

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

• Recognized in the Cross & Crescent and on official Lambda Chi Alpha channels
• Recognized during 2025 High Alpha Summit and Neville Advisor's College

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

• Recognized in the Cross & Crescent and on official Lambda Chi Alpha channels
• Recognized during 2025 High Alpha Summit and Neville Advisor's College

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 2025 High Alpha Summit and Neville Advisor's College

Who will win the Founders' Day Challenge? View the Leaderboard here.

1,909 minutes or roughly 32 hours. The 2023 Founders' Day Challenge will begin at 8 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, November 1, and end at 5:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday, November 2. Early gifts count!

Anyone! Lambda Chi Alpha has affected more lives than our Brothers alone.

If you know others who support our vision, invite them to donate.

Who will win the Founders' Day Challenge? View the Leaderboard here.

Brothers and friends have donated over $2.8 million for the Founders’ Day Challenge since 2021, with investments in active members and chapters of Lambda Chi Alpha totaling more than $2.2 million. 

Investments in program areas include: 

• $1.3 million for leadership development, including grant funding for the High Alpha Summit, Neville Advisor’s College and the new Stead Leadership College.
• $850K for member development, such as scholarships, new member education through the Ideal Man program, and the new Lambda Chi Academy.
• $150K for research and data analysis to understand the needs of our members.

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

Visit the Founders' Day Challenge fundraiser site to make your gift!

Ambassadors support the Founders’ Day Challenge by creating a personal fundraiser page on our campaign platform and encouraging others to donate to the Educational Foundation.

They can fundraise as part of a Chapter Team or on their own, and they can also help spread the word about the Founders’ Day Challenge.

Find resources to help promote the challenge in our Ambassador Toolkit.

Each Chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha has a Team fundraiser page on our campaign platform, allowing us to tally the number of donors and the total amount of donations raised on behalf of each Chapter.

Who will win the Founders' Day Challenge? View the Leaderboard here.

Named after Lambda Chi Alpha’s spiritual founder and ritual author, John “Jack” Mason, this donor society is reserved exclusively for active members and alumni under 30 who donate $19.09 or more.

Jack Mason created the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation in 1946 with an estate bequest, and thanks to his investment, the Educational Foundation exists today to invest in the ever-growing educational pursuits of our Fraternity.

How can active members join Mason's Circle?

Collegiate members can follow Jack Mason’s lead by supporting the Educational Foundation with a donation of $19.09 by joining our donor society exclusively for undergraduates and young alumni: Mason’s Circle. 

What are the benefits of joining Mason's Circle?

Mason's Circle members receive a lapel pin and recognition on Fraternity and Foundation websites and in the Winter issue of the Cross & Crescent magazine.

Members also earn one vote to decide how donated funds to the giving circle are used to support members.

Chapters with 100% participation of Undergraduate Brothers giving to Mason's Circle for $19.09 will receive the following prizes:

• Mason's Circle Champion Trophy
• Recognition in the Cross & Crescent and on official Lambda Chi Alpha social channels and websites
• Recognition during the High Alpha Summit

Donate through your chapter billing or on the Founders’ Day Challenge site.

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

Let us know by completing this form and we will add your gift to the team of your choice!

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.

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.

Many corporations match employee charitable donations. Click here to find out if your company will match your gift.

If your company is eligible, submit the matching gift form!

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.

Each Chapter has a team page on our campaign platform, allowing us to tally their total number of donors and the total amount raised.

On the campaign donation form, you will have the option to attribute your support to a Chapter Team.

When you attribute your support to your Chapter Team, your gift is counted towards your Chapter's

The chapters with the most donors and dollars raised will be named the Challenge winners.

Who will win the Founders' Day Challenge? View the Leaderboard here.

We need your help to reach thousands of Brothers, friends and family members who love Lambda Chi.

An easy way to promote the challenge is to post about it on social media, or send an email or text with the donation link to Brothers in your network.

You can also officially promote the challenge by signing up to be an Ambassador!

Ambassadors support the Founders’ Day Challenge by creating a personal fundraiser page on our campaign platform and encouraging others to donate to the Educational Foundation.

Ambassadors can fundraise as part of a Chapter Team or on their own.

Find resources to promote the challenge in our Ambassador Toolkit.

You can challenge others or match their giving (i.e., 2 for 1 match, etc.) to stretch participation by your chapter Brothers.

Challenge and matching gifts are vital to the success of this campaign, and we are excited to discuss your involvement further.

Please contact one of our team members if you have questions about making a challenge or matching gift.