Juanita James, president and CEO of Fairfield County”™s Community Foundation, is used to running short on sleep in February, especially on the charity”™s biggest fundraising day of the year.
“The first few years of Giving Day, I stayed up all 24 hours,” she said. “Now, I take a couple of naps in-between. I stay up until one or two, get a little sleep, then get back up at six-thirty or seven.”
Feb. 25 will mark the eighth annual Fairfield County Giving Day, a 24-hour online philanthropy campaign in which thousands of donors contribute to nonprofit organizations from all over southwestern Connecticut. While the nonprofits use the campaign to market their missions and grow their donor bases, supporters have the opportunity to put a small contribution toward a greater impact. In 2020, 77 percent of the gifts donated were under $100, yet the event brought in a total of over $1.6 million from more than 12,600 community members, benefitting nearly 400 nonprofits.
In the weeks and months leading up to Giving Day, the foundation offers resources to help participating nonprofits raise awareness and drive donors, including workshops, training, access to high-volume technology and inclusion in regional ad campaigns. In addition, $100,000 in grant prizes is secured to offer bonus contributions during giving hours throughout the event.
It”™s not just the day itself, James tells the Business Journal, “It”™s much more of a learning and teaching experience. It”™s an education in how to do digital marketing and promotion, sponsorships and customer relationship management for our nonprofits, many of whom can”™t afford that kind of consulting advice from a professional marketing firm.”
Since the first Giving Day in 2014, Bank of America has been the event”™s champion sponsor, something Carol Heller, senior vice president and market manager for enterprise business and community engagement for the bank, said has been a highlight for the branches in her region.
“We put signage, posters and all kinds of things in all of our financial centers to get everyone revved up about it in the weeks leading up to Giving Day,” she said. “We also use communication to feature nonprofit work in different sectors so our associates can understand what”™s going on, why the need is so pressing and what great nonprofits we have in this county.”
Heller and James tell the Business Journal that this year, fundraising is especially critical for hundreds of organizations who are struggling in the wake of the pandemic.
“That”™s a big part of the story this year. Nonprofits have been impacted by the pandemic in terms of higher overhead costs, as well as the increased number of service users and demand for services,” Heller said. “This is the year that we need to stand behind our nonprofits by continuing our steadfast support to help them keep their doors open, and to grow that support even more.”
“In total, we”™ve raised over $9.6 million for the nonprofit community. Some of the organizations say it”™s the biggest fundraiser they have for the year,” James said. “On the donor side, it doesn”™t have to be a big investment to be part of making a big impact. We”™ve got sponsors, elected officials, the private sector, even kids; that”™s what makes it exciting, because everyone can be part of this. Everyone can be a philanthropist.”
For more information on Fairfield County Giving Day visit fcgives.org.
