UWC is delighted to announce that UWC Thailand and Li Po Chun UWC of Hong Kong raised USD $1m through new donors over the past year, unlocking USD $1m in matched funding made available via the Davis-UWC IMPACT Challenge. The two schools join 13 other UWCs that managed to complete the Challenge in previous years. Only two colleges - UWC Mahindra College and UWC Red Cross Nordic - will continue raising funds for the Challenge in its fifth year, with just over US $200,000 left to raise between the two colleges, in order to unlock the matched funding by July 2020. 

The Davis-UWC IMPACT Challenge was established by UWC Patron Shelby Davis in August 2015 to encourage UWC alumni and other supporters to take ownership of UWC’s future by becoming regular donors. As an incentive, Davis offered USD $1m in matched funding to each of UWC’s then 15 schools and colleges, which could be claimed once they increased the number of their individual donors year on year. In September 2017, Shelby Davis generously extended the Challenge to UWC Thailand and UWC ISAK Japan, bringing all of the then 17 schools and colleges into the Challenge. 

Since its launch four years ago, a global team of less than 50 fundraisers across UWC schools and colleges managed to unlock a total of USD $16.7m in matched funding. This incredible donation has been used to increase UWC’s scholarship provisions in line with our vision of providing a UWC education independent of a student’s socio-economic means. The Davis-UWC IMPACT Challenge has helped philanthropy grow at our schools and colleges worldwide and put the act of giving forward at the heart of UWC.

Please join us by saying “Thanks a Million” to UWC’s Patron Shelby Davis, who continues to support, challenge and inspire us with his love for UWC and his commitment to improving the world by empowering one change-maker at a time. Our most sincere thanks equally go to all of our supporters, who helped us attain this massive achievement. UWC has grown in the last four years to 18 colleges worldwide, and we have grown to give as a movement too. 

To learn more about the Davis-UWC IMPACT Challenge and how you can participate, please visit the campaign website at www.thanksamillionchallenge.org.