According to a sunshine fund newsletter:

"The purpose of the CU Libraries' Sunshine Fund is to bring a ray of sunshine into the lives of our co-workers. It's a way for us to show our support and encouragement to colleagues during significant events in their lives. Whether it's a happy occasion such as retirement, birthday, or birth of a new baby, or a time when things aren't going so well such as an illness or death of a loved one, it is comforting to know that our work family cares"