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A Newbie’s Quick Guide to ColoradoGives Enrollment

By Lisa Lujan, Online Giving Coordinator

You’ve always wanted your nonprofit to participate, but it just hasn’t worked out before. Well, this is your chance! It is that time of year again, ColoradoGives.org enrollment time, from March 1 – July 31.

Nervous about the process? No need to be! This quick guide gives you an overview in three steps. (If you’re a details person, check out our Overview of Process to Create a Profile.)

  1. Visit the ColoradoGives.org Enrollment Page. Here you’ll learn several key pieces of information; it’s important to not skim this page. Really dig into the weeds and read the details. One of the key pieces of content is a listing of the Intro Session dates. You must sign up for one of these webinars in order to participate in the program, so be sure to get it on your calendar ASAP. The first Intro Session is March 14 at 9 a.m. and the last is July 31, 2017 at 3 p.m. Another key piece of content on the Enrollment Page is our Eligibility Requirements. It is very important to read and understand all of these requirements. If you have questions about any of them, contact us.
  2.  Attend the Intro Session you’ve signed up for. During this webinar, you will get a basic overview of the program, the tools available to you through it and much more. It’s a quick webinar and you will have an opportunity to ask questions.
  3.  Complete the login request form. After the Intro Session, you will receive an email with a link to a login request form. This form must completed in order to receive a login, so if you attend a webinar and don’t see the email afterwards in your inbox (or spam), let us know ASAP. The login you’re sent will include detailed instructions about how to complete your organization’s profile as well as the required documents you will be expected provide. In this key step it is imperative that you remember that the deadline to submit your profile is Thursday, August 31, 2017 at 5 p.m. (Save date to calendar: Outlook or Google). 

Like any good journey, here are a few tips to help you prepare:
  1. Sign up for an Intro Session as soon as possible.
  2. Complete the form to request a login as soon as you get the email. This will ensure you’re in our system and can start on your profile as soon as you’re ready. If you wait until the last minute, you may not have time to complete the profile.
  3. Pull as much basic information together as you can ahead of time. Things like your 990 or 990EZ, Secretary of State certificates and IRS Letter of Determination are a great start.
  4. Ask questions. If you’re unsure about something, ask us! This will ensure you don’t waste valuable time doing something that might be unnecessary. The ColoradoGives team is here to help you through this process!

We can’t wait to have you all join and good luck!

P.S. If you’re already a nonprofit on ColoradoGives.org, keep your eyes open for an email about updating your profile coming to the ColoradoGives Primary Contact around May!

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