7 Things You Need to Know about the 7th Giving Challenge

Editor’s Note: The Giving Challenge is first and foremost a 24-hour online giving day and will remain scheduled from Noon to Noon, April 28-29. The 2020 Giving Challenge will be one of several grant-funding tools available to help with our community’s evolving response to the coronavirus pandemic, as the unrestricted funds raised during the Giving Challenge provide our nonprofit partners flexibility to respond to community needs, especially as those needs evolve or change.

It's back! For 24-hours on April 28 and 29, the Giving Challenge is returning to our community to connect passionate donors with more than 700 nonprofit organizations to enhance their efforts in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, and DeSoto counties through the power of local giving. The Patterson Foundation is once again providing a 1:1 match for all unique donations up to $100 to bring out and strengthen the distinct generosity of our community.

As a nod to this year’s seventh Giving Challenge, here are seven important things you need to know before April 28^th that will help your organization maximize its potential impact and relationship-building during the 2020 Giving Challenge.

1) How do I send donors directly to my Giving Challenge Webpage/Custom URL?

Before the Giving Challenge begins, tell donors that all giving will be done on www.GivingPartnerChallenge.org, as The Patterson Foundation match will only be qualified from this site. Once your organization’s Giving Challenge registration is approved, you will have access to your custom URL that you can share with donors ahead of April 28. This custom URL is located in the dashboard of your Giving Challenge webpage, in the bottom right corner in the “Share Your Page” box. If you need help finding your custom URL, please reference the Giving Challenge Training presentation.

Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers will also have direct custom URLs to their own fundraising page, so donors can also be directed there. However, nonprofit organizations will want to direct donors to their general custom URL (mentioned in the process above). For more information on Peer-to-Peer fundraising during the 2020 Giving Challenge, watch this instructional video from GiveGab.

2) What are the prizes for this year? Are there any prize updates I should be aware of?

As a way to award creativity, ingenuity, and passion, more than 260 prize opportunities and more than $260,000 in prizes will be awarded to participating nonprofit organizations throughout the Giving Challenge. Prizes are divided into two categories: ones that you are automatically eligible for and ones that require an application. The Patterson Foundation is also further incentivizing fundraising by awarding $51,000 in prizes to small, medium, and large nonprofit organizations based on the total number of unique donors (see question #6 below). Full details about prizes, including how to apply, will be emailed to Team Leaders. To view a complete list of prizes, visit the Giving Challenge website.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: With many in-person gatherings being canceled, at this time the “Best Community Event” Prize has been changed to “Best Online Event.” Just as before, there will be 9 prize awards: $2,000 prizes awarded to three winners per category (small, medium, large) who conduct the best Giving Challenge online event. An online event can encompass a variety of unique mediums: webinars, livestreams, chatrooms, integration with social media and other web platforms. Judges are looking for how well your online event engages the community in your mission and the Giving Challenge; how unique, creative, and flexible your approach is; how did it inspire giving to and engagement with your organization; and how well you incorporated the “Be The One” concept. The deadline for the “Best Online Event” Prize will be 5pm on Friday, April 3, 2020.

We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause for those nonprofit organizations who have already applied for the “Best Community Event” Prize.

3) When should I review my prize submissions? When is the deadline for prize applications?

As you develop your 2020 Giving Challenge campaign, a friendly reminder to review your prize submissions prior to April 28 to ensure you are capturing the appropriate elements needed for the actual application submission after April 29.

For prizes that require an application, you needed to submit an intent to apply by 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 27. Following the 2020 Giving Challenge, you will need to submit your official application by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 7. There are two notable prize exceptions that DO require an application but do NOT require an intent to apply, and they are: “Best Giving Challenge Story 2018” and “Best Giving Challenge Photo.” Details on how to submit an official application for 2020 Giving Challenge prizes will be provided to Nonprofit Team Leaders via email. To view prize eligibility and rules, visit the Giving Challenge website.

4) Will In-Person Events or Pop-up Giving Stations still be held?

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County does not support or advise nonprofit organizations hold in-person Giving Challenge events this year. This also includes coordinating or participating in a Pop-up Giving Station. In place of in-person events, we recommend you flex your creative muscles with a variety of online event and social media strategies, including for example: webinars, livestreams, chatrooms, digital trivia or scavenger hunts.

While in-person events and connections certainly make the Giving Challenge a gem in our community, online events provide enormous flexibility and potential to creatively connect others to your mission, while accommodating to the evolving situation in our community.

5) Are there any upcoming workshops or trainings to help with my Giving Challenge campaign?

Yes! From 2-3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, we will be hosting an online webinar about the “Final Steps to Success for the Giving Challenge.” In this webinar, we’ll go over last-minute tips and best practices to engage with your supporters and be successful during the 24-hours of the Giving Challenge. The Giving Challenge team will also be available to answer any and all of your questions. The important thing is: there’s still plenty of time to make sure your Giving Challenge campaign is ready to go! Register for the March 31 Webinar today.

If you cannot watch the live webinar, don’t worry: we will be recording the webinar and posting it on the Community Foundation and Giving Challenge websites on April 1.

Also, GiveGab - our Giving Challenge technology platform - shared an online webinar on March 20 that discussed how to maximize your Giving Challenge campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch GiveGab's Strategies for an Impactful Giving Day During COVID-19 webinar.

6) What defines a unique donor/donation?

A unique donor is defined as one individual and a unique donation is defined as a single donation from that individual. Understanding these terms is important as they determine whether or not you will receive The Patterson Foundation matching funds. For example, the same donor giving multiple times to the same nonprofit organization will only be matched by The Patterson Foundation up to the $100 maximum. However, if that same donor gives $50 to nonprofit A and $50 to nonprofit B, both nonprofits will receive $100 ($50 from the donor and $50 from The Patterson Foundation match) as each meets the qualification for a unique donor/donation combination.

7) Who do I ask if I have questions about building my organization’s custom Giving Challenge webpage on the GiveGab platform?

For starters, GiveGab is our nonprofit online giving platform that is hosting the 2020 Giving Challenge website. When you are building your custom Giving Challenge webpage on GiveGab, the blue chat bubble in the bottom right corner will be your best friend. Simply click that button, write your email address and message, and then click the submit arrow. A real-life member of the GiveGab Team will answer your question promptly and walk you through the process weekdays, M-F 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

While there are many ways to plan a successful online Giving Challenge campaign, by following these seven helpful tricks and tips your nonprofit organization can meaningfully connect with donors of all kinds in the spirit of local giving. And after all, isn't that what the Giving Challenge is all about.

Have any remaining questions? Email GivingChallenge@CFSarasota.org or call 941-556-7171.