Fill the Hill is one of the most beloved traditions at UW–Madison. Each year, the famous pink lawn flamingos flock to Bascom Hill as part of a fundraising effort that brings campus lore to life in support of the university. The flamingos on the hill represent gifts people have made in support of the UW during this period. The growing flock represents the support of the extended Badger community, whose philanthropy plays a vital role in keeping the UW strong.  

In 1979, students and other passersby were treated to the sight of 1,008 plastic pink flamingos placed on Bascom Hill by student government pranksters from the Pail and Shovel Party. Ever since, these lawn ornaments have become a treasured tradition at the UW. 

When you give $350 or more, you’ll qualify to receive your own full-sized lawn flamingo and mini flamingo. You can also give $100 or more to qualify for just the mini. Mindful of plastic consumption? So are we! That’s why, when you make your gift of $100 or more, you’ll have the option to choose whether you want your mini flamingo. When you make a gift of $350 or more, you’ll get to choose whether you want all your full-sized flamingos, too.

We still do — but not automatically. This helps reduce plastic consumption so that we’re not sending extra flamingos to people who don’t want them.

When you make a gift of $100 or more, you’ll have the option to select whether you want your one mini flamingo. For every multiple of $350 you give, you’ll qualify to receive a full-sized flamingo. (That’s one flamingo for $350, two flamingos for $700, and so on.) When you check out, you can specify how many flamingos you want out of the total that you’re entitled to receive.

Nope! You can follow the fun on social media and see your virtual flamingo on our digital donor hill. Plus, if you forward your gift confirmation email to a student on campus, they’ll get to place a flamingo on the hill themselves! That way, anyone in the world can share the Fill the Hill experience.

There are more than 100 areas of campus participating in Fill the Hill this year. UW alumni and friends are encouraged to give to any and all funds they are passionate about.

Featured areas of support include:

• Chancellor’s Annual Fund
• Great People Annual Scholarship Fund
• School and college annual funds

Money raised during Fill the Hill will immediately help the UW address its greatest needs.

You can make a gift by phone by calling 800-443-6162 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CDT on October 2. Because of the short duration of Fill the Hill, mailed gifts will not count toward the total but will go toward supporting the fund of choice.

Yes. The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA) respects the privacy of every individual with whom it does business. Please review WFAA’s complete Privacy Policy at advanceuw.org/privacy-policy to understand information practices, what personal data WFAA collects through interactions, and how it uses data. 

A receipt for tax purposes will be mailed from the University of Wisconsin Foundation. Your receipt will arrive roughly two weeks after you make your gift. Please consult your tax adviser to confirm whether your Fill the Hill contribution is tax deductible.  

Yes! If you’d like to make either a qualified charitable distribution gift from your IRA or a distribution from your donor-advised fund (DAF), you can let us know of your intention and have your gift counted toward Fill the Hill and any applicable challenges or matches through this form. 

Charitable gifts are generally not refundable. Refunds will be made in the event of a mistake or if the purpose for which the gift is given cannot be fulfilled by WFAA. Individuals who receive refunds are responsible for correcting any tax filings they have made to reflect the refunded amount. For questions about a gift, please contact Gift Services at 800-443-6162.

Yes! You can help spread the word on social media. Not sure where to start? Try one or more of these sample posts:

• The Flamingos are back! Join in the flamingo fun from anywhere in the world at stage.uwflamingos.com. @WisAlumni 
• Join me in the feathered fun at stage.uwflamingos.com/get-involved. @WisAlumni 
• What “hatched” as a playful prank in 1979 is now one of the UW’s most treasured traditions. Fill the Hill is back! stage.uwflamingos.com  
• Fill the Hill 2026 is a real Wisconsin wingding! Join in at stage.uwflamingos.com.  
• This year during Fill the Hill, I’m adding a flamingo to the hill in support of [cause/area]! @WisAlumni 
• Gifts made during Fill the Hill go toward maintaining the UW’s excellence in education. Become a UW Flockstar at stage.uwflamingos.com.  
• Let’s turn the internet into a sea of pink flamingos! Join me in supporting UW–Madison at stage.uwflamingos.com @WisAlumni 
• Proud to be a UW Flockstar! @WisAlumni 
• I love the UW because [insert reason]. Why do you love the UW? @WisAlumni 

Please reach out to Gift Services by calling 800-443-6162 or by emailing annualgiving@supportuw.org. You can also chat with us using the chat box to the right.