Give where you live: Colorado Gives Day
By Lynne Marsala Basche
The idea is simple; give where you live. For the past six years, the Community First Foundation and FirstBank have teamed up to promote philanthropy in Colorado. Colorado Gives Day, which begins at 12 a.m. on December 8 is targeted to increase online giving to local non-profit organizations.
The Community First Foundation’s online giving program is run through http://www.coloradogives.org, which is a year-round giving website. While people can donate to more than 1,800 Colorado nonprofits any time of the year, Colorado Gives Day brings attention to the act of contributing when it may otherwise just be a passing thought. The organization hopes that people are energized to come together and inspire others to support charities. In addition, the Community First Foundation and FirstBank contributed to create the $1 Million Incentive Fund, which proportionally allocates money across all charitable donations received that day.
Search favorite organizations like Wellspring Community, the Douglas/Elbert Task Force, Dumb Friends League, or Douglas County Libraries and get an overview of the organization, its mission, upcoming events and financials. It is easy to find organizations using the site’s robust search engine, which offers search criteria based on name, city, zip code and keyword.
The minimum donation amount is $10, and all tax-deductible donations can be made using electronic checks and all major credit cards. Company matching gift programs can also be tied to contributions. Donations can be made in honor of someone, and gift cards can also be purchased and sent – now that is a gift that gives! Schedule contributions ahead of time to be sure to remember the event, and make it as simple as possible to participate.
Colorado Gives Day is an easy and convenient way to support favorite organizations within Colorado. Any amount of money contributed on December 8 is given a boost through the Incentive Fund and is guaranteed to help those in need. Be as generous as possible, knowing it is better to give than to receive.
