Help local nonprofits overcome the impact of COVID-19 on Midlands Gives Day, hosted by Central Carolina Community Foundation
April 22, 2020
On Tuesday, May 5, 2020, the region will come together virtually through Midlands Gives to raise critically needed funds for local nonprofits. The dollars raised will allow the region’s nonprofits to continue providing their much-needed services during and after the COVID-19 crisis. It is vital during this unprecedented time that Midlands Gives, now in its seventh year, engages residents and connects the community. Early giving for the online giving challenge — hosted by Central Carolina Community Foundation, the Midlands’ center for philanthropy — begins Tuesday, April 21. Residents can help nonprofits overcome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through Midlands Gives at www.midlandsgives.org.
COVID-19 is having a direct impact on the nonprofits that serve the Midlands. According to the South Carolina Community Loan Fund’s recent survey of 209 nonprofit organizations, without additional funds, 52% can last no more than three months. By September, 80% of these nonprofits, without additional resources, will be out of money. Midlands Gives will raise funds that are crucial to the survival of these organizations.
Launched in 2014, Midlands Gives is an 18-hour, online-only giving challenge that provides a direct link to 408 nonprofit organizations providing vital services for the community. Donors can give to multiple organizations through one online gift.
“Midlands Gives 2020 will provide a day of hope, optimism, and community pride,” says JoAnn Turnquist, president and CEO of Central Carolina Community Foundation. “It will allow us to come together, even though we are physically apart, to provide much needed support for our local nonprofits and demonstrate the resiliency and generosity of our residents.”
New Features for Midlands Gives 2020
• Virtual headquarters: To ensure the safety of all Midlands Gives participants, the day of giving will take place entirely online. This year’s event will debut a virtual headquarters, allowing staff, nonprofits, and donors to follow social distancing and safety guidelines.
• Minimum donation reduced to $10: Moving to a $10 minimum donation (from prior years’ minimum of $20) is an effort to reduce the barriers to giving during the COVID-19 crisis, providing more people with the opportunity to come together to lift up the community.
• Business Giving Pages: While many businesses are facing challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, creating a Midlands Gives Business Giving Page is an easy way for businesses of all sizes to strengthen ties to the community, show support for the region’s nonprofits and promote employee engagement. Businesses do not have to be a Midlands Gives sponsor to create a free Business Giving Page. To set up a Business Giving Page, contact Cherise Arrendale, strategic initiatives and communications manager, at [email protected].
How to #SupportSupporters Online with Midlands Gives
The Midlands Gives platform is simple and organized making it easy to donate to local nonprofits.
The online giving platform, www.midlandsgives.org, features a leaderboard, prize tracker and searchable profiles of more than 400 participating nonprofits. Donors can add multiple organizations to a “shopping cart” with donation sizes of their choice, starting at only $10.
The platform will again be hosted through CiviCore and can be accessed on a mobile device or desktop. One hundred percent of each contribution, less the 2.1% credit card fee and 2.8% CiviCore technology fee, will go directly to the donor’s selected nonprofit; the Community Foundation receives no funds from Midlands Gives. Donors have the option to cover the credit card and technology fees for their gifts when they checkout. Until the end of April 2020, the Foundation is covering the customary 2.8% CiviCore technology fee for all Midlands Gives donations in order to provide additional funds to nonprofit organizations during the pandemic.
Global Giving Scheduled for May 5 in Unison with Midlands Gives Day
On Tuesday May 5, communities around the globe will join the Midlands community in supporting nonprofit organizations through #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of giving and unity in response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. Occurring the same day as Midlands Gives, and with the same mission, #GivingTuesdayNow is designed to drive generosity, citizen engagement, business and philanthropy activation, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world. For more information, visit www.givingtuesday.org/.
Increase Your Impact: Create a Champion Page
Individuals can rally behind a cause they are passionate about through Champion Pages, an online tool for users to create personal campaigns to raise money for local nonprofits. The pages can be created in a few easy steps, as follows:
• Step 1: Select a nonprofit to support.
• Step 2: Determine a fundraising goal.
• Step 2: Create a Champion Page.
• Step 4: Customize the page with a personal story to inspire others to give.
• Step 5: Share the page with friends and family via social media, email or a direct link.
Champion Pages provide a fun tool to celebrate quarantine birthdays, engage families in philanthropy and promote friendly competition among employees of local businesses. Create a Champion Page and find more information at www.midlandsgives.org/champion.
With Nearly $160,000 in Prize Incentives, Your Gift Can Go Further
Corporate Philanthropy Champions — including Dominion Energy, Aflac, Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation, BB&T now Truist Financial, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, and more — are providing financial incentives, matching gifts and prizes for nonprofits on May 5. The impact of individuals’ contributions of $10 or more will be amplified through these sponsored prize incentives. The full list of prizes can be found at https://www.midlandsgives.org/prizes.
About Midlands Gives
Midlands Gives is an annual 18-hour online giving challenge and year-round giving platform for local nonprofits, powered by Central Carolina Community Foundation. This year’s event will take place virtually on May 5, 2020. For more information about Midlands Gives, visit www.midlandsgives.org or call 803-254-5601.
About Central Carolina Community Foundation
Central Carolina Community Foundation — the Midlands’ center on philanthropy — is a nonprofit organization serving 11 counties in the Midlands by distributing grants and scholarships and linking the resources of donors, nonprofits and area leaders to communities in need. Major initiatives include the Midlands Gives online giving challenge and year-round giving platform, On the Table, Connected Communities grants, the One SC Fund, the Best of Philanthropy Awards, annual scholarships and more. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.yourfoundation.org or call 803-254-5601.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CentralCarolinaCommunityFoundation
Twitter: @CCCFtweets
Instagram: @CCCFpics
Hashtag: #MidlandsGives #SupportSupporters
