Giving Day 2026: Amplify your impact for a healthier future for all

As members of the O’Brien Institute community, your contributions make a profound impact on our mission to advance public health through research excellence. Every year, Giving Day provides an opportunity to extend that impact by supporting a wide range of activities and initiatives.

Community Catalyst Awards: Supporting new partnerships in health equity

Through the Health Equity HUB, the O’Brien Institute’s Community Catalyst Awards are helping launch new partnerships between researchers and community organizations to address urgent health challenges. With strong interest and limited funding, additional awards will be supported through this year’s Giving Day initiative.

Read more about the Community Catalyst Awards.

Beyond fostering community-research relationships, your support also advances student-led research, women's health, and health-care system improvements with lasting impacts on public health.

About Giving Day 2026

Giving Day 2026 will run from April 9 – 23, where all eligible gifts made to the University of Calgary will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $2,500 per gift, per fund, while matching funds last. 

Members of the University of Calgary community have two ways to compound their gifts:

1. Faculty & Staff Challenge: $2,500 is unlocked with every 20 unique current faculty/staff donors to a given fund. Limited to 2 unlocks per fund.
2. Alumni Challenge: $2,500 is unlocked with every 20 unique current alumni donors to a given fund. Limited to 2 unlocks per fund.

Last year, your generosity supported trainee research projects on:

• Effectiveness of food subsidy programs on diet quality for low-income populations
• Impact of food insecurity on diet quality and diabetes
• Promoting equitable access to medical education for marginalized communities

Achieving our mission of advancing public health through research excellence takes all of us and requires collective action. Matching funds do not last long, so please consider participating early.

Learn more about Giving Day 2026.

Thank you for your ongoing efforts and collaboration with us to shape a healthier future for all. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Kirsten Fiest, scientific director, O’Brien Institute for Public Health

Dr. Pamela Roach, deputy director, O’Brien Institute for Public Health

Dr. Jaime Kaufman, director, strategic initiatives and partnerships, O’Brien Institute for Public Health