Cornell University Leverages Ithaca’s GiveGab to Host Giving Day 2018

GiveGab, an Ithaca-based online platform for nonprofits to manage fundraising and supporter engagement helped Cornell University to a record-breaking Giving Day on March 20.

The company, a member of Rev: Ithaca Startup Works, was hired by the university’s development office for the second straight year, supplying the technology by which more than 11 thousand supporters were able to make financial contributions totaling nearly eight million dollars. Donations came in from 50 countries, and from all 50 U.S. states.  The 2018 results bested the previous year by $1.5 million, and the total number of gifts rose by 29.5 percent.

While GiveGab has enjoyed a tremendous 2018 thus far, including the purchase of a major rival at the start of the year, hosting Cornell’s Giving Day for the second consecutive year was a particularly sweet accomplishment for the company’s founders. CEO Charlie Mulligan (MBA ’11) and COO Aaron Godert (M.Eng. ’05, MBA ’11) are both alumni of the university. The pair fatefully met during the course of their MBA studies at Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management. Hunter Rawlings, former Cornell president, is also a member of the company’s board of directors.

“Cornell is a very special place,” said Charlie Mulligan. “Cornell alumni include presidents of countries, university founders, and famous architects, astronomers, physicists, and business leaders. From the very start, the university admitted women and minorities.  GiveGab is absolutely thrilled to have played a role in a great giving day to support such a fantastic university.”

GiveGab has  grown to around 40 employees, most of which are based out of the company’s downtown Ithaca office, with others still working out of Austin, TX, and other remote areas around the country following the acquisition of Kimbia, inc.