Mass. nonprofits seek to raise more than $1 million in “Giving Common Challenge”
Boston – More than 500 Massachusetts nonprofits will strive to raise a combined $1 million in just 36 hours and qualify for an additional $150,000 in prizes next week, as they take part in one of the largest nonprofit fundraising events in Massachusetts history.
The Giving Common Challenge, a 36-hour fundraising sprint, is designed to raise funds and the overall visibility of Massachusetts nonprofits for new and existing donors. All the organizations have submitted profiles on the Giving Common, a resource for nonprofits and potential donors launched earlier this year by the Boston Foundation.
The Challenge begins online at 8:00 a.m., Wednesday, October 10thand runs through 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 11th.
The Giving Common puts an unprecedented amount of information about Massachusetts nonprofit organizations at the fingertips of donors and others who want to research and locate effective nonprofits across a dozen category areas. Any Massachusetts-based nonprofit can fill out the profile forms –547 nonprofits are listed on the site for the Challenge. Many more will be added in the coming months.
During the Challenge, the focus will be on fundraising. Participating nonprofits will be able to drive donors to their Giving Common profiles to donate, and those donations could qualify the nonprofits to win one of 62 prizes ranging in value from $1,000 to $25,000. Fifty-six prizes will be targeted to specific hours of the Challenge. Prizes ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 will be given to the three nonprofits that raise the most funds during the Challenge, and the three nonprofits that secure donations from the most unique donors during the Challenge.
Nonprofits and donors will be able to follow the progress of donations through a real-time leaderboard hosted on the Giving Common site at givingcommon.org.
Boston Foundation staff will be gathered at the Foundation offices, (75 Arlington St., 10thfloor Boston) for the Challenge. Many nonprofits are planning enhanced fundraising activities Wednesday and Thursday to generate interest from potential donors. The Foundation will also provide updates on the event and nonprofit organizations’ activities via the Boston Foundation Twitter account (http://twitter.com/bostonfdn) and the Facebook accounts for both the Foundation (http://www.facebook.com/TheBostonFoundation) and the Giving Common (http://www.facebook.com/GivingCommon). The hashtag for the event is #givingcommon
The Giving Common Challenge
Begins Wed., October 10th, 8:00 a.m.
Ends Thurs., October 11th, 8:00 p.m.
Goal: $1 million for Mass. nonprofits
http://www.givingcommon.org
Interviews with key Boston Foundation staff and nonprofit partners will be available before, during and after the event.
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About the Boston Foundation:
The Boston Foundation, Greater Boston’s community foundation, is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the nation, with net assets of $850 million. In 2011, the Foundation and its donors made almost $78 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and received gifts of $81 million. The Foundation is made up of some 850 separate charitable funds established by donors either for the general benefit of the community or for special purposes. The Boston Foundation also serves as a major civic leader, provider of information, convener and sponsor of special initiatives designed to address the community’s and region’s most pressing challenges.
In 2012, the Boston Foundation and The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI) merged, with TPI operating as a distinct unit of the Boston Foundation. Over the last 20 years, TPI has been a leading philanthropic advising organization. Its work to advance the field of strategic philanthropy includes the first-ever conference on the intergenerational transfer of wealth, the Excellence in Family Philanthropy training curriculum and the Center for Global Philanthropy which, in part, supports indigenous philanthropy in countries around the globe. For more information about the Boston Foundation and TPI, visit www.tbf.org or call 617-338-1700.
About The Giving Common:
The Giving Common, an initiative of the Boston Foundation, is an innovative web-based resource designed to provide comprehensive and current information about nonprofit organizations across Massachusetts, and to make informed, online charitable giving easy, quick and meaningful. The Giving Common includes nonprofit information from GuideStar, the nation’s leader in providing information about nonprofits, and asks organizations to fill out enhanced profiles that include mission statements, program offerings, governance and management information and indicators of success at addressing critical issues. Profile information can also be integrated into other sites that use the GuideStar network, saving nonprofits time and effort. Donors can search for organizations by geographic or focus area, and make donations immediately through the Giving Common. To learn more, please visit www.givingcommon.org.
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