Today is the third annual Give Local America, a nationwide giving day that harnesses the support of community foundations and United Way branches to encourage giving to local nonprofits.
Now in its third year. the day coordinates community giving days, which have proliferated in recent years, uniting them on the same day. Last year, the event raised $68.5 million online for more than 9,000 nonprofits nationwide in a roughly 24-hour period.
This year promises to be even bigger, with more matching dollars, thousands of new nonprofits benefitting, and more communities participating. GiveLocalNYC, The Big Give Houston, and Pittsburgh Gives are among those joining this year. Check The Chronicle later this week for fundraising results and examples of creative fundraising tactics used throughout the day.
Making the most of these fast-paced campaigns requires preparation and planning. Below are links to resources from The Chronicle that will help you put on a successful giving-day event.
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AdviceWelcome packages, exclusive thank-you receptions, and more things you can do after the campaign ends.
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AdviceOrganizers of some day-long fundraising drives are letting donors schedule gifts in advance, doubling down on training participants, and deploying paid social-media ads to push totals higher. -
AdviceA community foundation’s planning tool includes questions to help you plan a 24-hour fundraising event week by week, as well as checklists and charts to keep track of goals and assign tasks.
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AdviceHow competition, prizes for all levels of gifts, and a year of planning brought success. Also, the philanthropy battle between Colorado and North Texas.
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AdviceScenarios to prepare for when planning an online fundraising event or giving day.
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AdviceThe Chronicle asked experts and readers to identify charities that stand out in their use of the Internet to gain support and sell their causes.
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NewsFueled by social media, email, events, and mutual support, 2,022 nonprofits in the region collected more than 118,000 donations in just 18 hours.
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NewsThe May 5 event brings community foundations and local nonprofits together for a fundraising marathon.
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NewsUsed primarily by Orthodox Jewish nonprofits, the platform combines the heft of major donors, the pressures of time, and an all-or-nothing funding contingency.
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FundraisingBorrowing from the momentum of crowdfunding and giving days, colleges are using online drives with lots of social-media promotions to show donors why small gifts matter.
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OpinionThe competition for donations on December 2 runs the risk of alienating the very people nonprofits need most.
