Force for Good—Community First Foundation’s online giving director and Junior League of Denver member, Dana Rinderknecht, sparked $83 million in donations to nonprofits during five 24-hour donation events.
Looking back over the last six years, why has Colorado Gives Day been so successful? Are Coloradans simply more generous than people in other state?
We started Colorado Gives Day because historically Coloradans gave below the national average. I believe that was because no one was asking them to give and they didn’t have a safe and secure place to give. So that is what we gave them, ColoradoGives.org and Colorado Gives Day specifically.
Our success lies with the nonprofits who embraced this new concept in giving – online and one day to raise as much money as we could. It has been fun to watch the various ways the nonprofits have used this event to raise money for their various organizations.
How has the year-round ColoradoGives.org and the one-day Colorado Gives Day changed how your organization raises funds?
Online fundraising allows donors to give when they want – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our tagline is “give where you live” Recently, I heard from one of our nonprofits that this has changed fundraising in our state and has become a really big deal. Most of our smaller nonprofits couldn’t replace the income that this has brought to them if we decided not to do the day.
What can Junior Leagues learn about fundraising from the work you have done at Community First Foundation?
Initiatives like Colorado Gives Day make it easier for Junior Leagues to ask their members to raise money for them. It also is a reminder that donors like to be asked and that putting a time limit on when you can give is a good motivator. Also, it is a good to remember that you shouldn’t try to segment your donors or members too much. We have donors on Colorado Gives Day that range in age from 5 to 90. Now the 5 year old is sitting with a parent or grandparent and the 90 year old might need some help with exactly how to make their donation but everyone can participate. Everyone can be a philanthropist.
