(Columbia, SC) — After raising a record-breaking $3.3 million in 2020, Central Carolina Community Foundation is welcoming 480 local nonprofits to its 2021 Midlands Gives Day. The 18-hour, online giving challenge will be held on Tuesday, May 4 from 6 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. Gifts of $10 or more will help nonprofits continue to provide critical services in health, arts and culture, human services and more. Early giving is now open at www.MidlandsGives.org.
The increasing number of participating nonprofits is a testament to the demands faced by organizations severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. A March 2021 survey of the state’s nonprofits by Together SC found that 59% believe they can only survive six months or less without additional funding.
“The pandemic has forced many local nonprofits to expand or redesign their services while dealing with reduced revenue,” says JoAnn Turnquist, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “They have displayed remarkable resilience, and the dollars they received from our community during Midlands Gives contributed to their resilience. Although we are at a turning point in the pandemic, the nonprofits that have served us well this year still need our ongoing support and partnership.”
Since its inception in 2014, Midlands Gives has raised $12.6 million for hundreds of local nonprofits, helping them amplify their impact, administer vital public services and boost the quality of life in the Midlands. To view the full list of participating nonprofits and their missions, visit www.MidlandsGives.org/Nonprofits.
Early Giving for Midlands Gives is Now Open
Early giving for Midlands Gives Day opened on April 1 at www.MidlandsGives.org. All donations made now through May 4 will count toward leaderboard totals. The platform will re-open for regular year-round giving on May 11.
Join the Virtual Fun at the Midlands Gives Online Headquarters
Midlands Gives Day will be livestreamed on the Foundation’s Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/CentralCarolinaCommunityFoundation. Community members are invited to join the virtual celebration and cheer for local nonprofits by commenting and sharing. Over $155,000 in prizes are available and surprise challenges will be announced during the day, giving viewers the opportunity to help their favorite nonprofits win additional dollars.
How to Donate on Midlands Gives Day
The Midlands Gives platform, www.MidlandsGives.org, is hosted through Neon One and can be accessed on a mobile device or desktop. It features a leaderboard, prize tracker and searchable profiles of the 480 participating nonprofits. Donors can add multiple organizations to a “shopping cart” with donation sizes of their choice.
One hundred percent of each contribution, less a 2.2% credit card fee and 2.8% Neon One technology fee, will go directly to the donor’s selected nonprofit. Donors have the option to cover these fees at checkout. The Foundation does not receive any fees from Midlands Gives.
Resources to Help Nonprofits Succeed
Midlands Gives provides a year-round platform for nonprofit organizations to increase awareness, donors and dollars. New demographics have been added this year to identify Black-led and Black-benefiting nonprofits, in alignment with the goals of the Community Foundation’s African American Philanthropy Committee. Nonprofits also have access to capacity building workshops hosted by the Foundation and nonprofit experts.
Increase Your Impact: Share Your Champion Page
Individuals are sharing their philanthropic passions through Champion Pages, an online tool where users create a personal giving campaign to raise money for a local nonprofit, similar to Facebook Giving. After selecting a Midlands Gives nonprofit and a fundraising goal, individuals can customize their page with a personal story and banner image. On May 4, Midlands Gives Day, users are encouraged to share their Champion Page on their social networks and send the link directly to friends and family to fundraise on behalf of the nonprofit. View Champion Pages and find more information at www.MidlandsGives.org/Champion.
With $155,000 in Prize Incentives, Your Gift Goes Further
In Good Company Network Members — including Dominion Energy, Aflac, Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Truist and more — are providing financial incentives, matching gifts and prizes for nonprofits on May 4. In addition, many nonprofits have secured matching gifts from generous donors throughout the community. The impact of individuals’ contributions of $10 or more will be amplified through these sponsored prize incentives and matching funds. The full list of prizes can be found at www.MidlandsGives.org/Prizes.
