ColoradoGives.org

By Kayla Arnesen, Director of Strategic Communications On Monday, hundreds of individuals representing Colorado’s nonprofits will gather at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver and rally in support of Colorado Gives Day . The Colorado Gives Day Rally happens Monday, December 7 at 11 a.m. (rain, snow or shine) on the Capitol’s West steps. The Rally celebrates Colorado’s nonprofits and the great work they do in our communities. It is also the “last hurrah” before Colorado Gives Day. If you are a participating ColoradoGives nonprofit and can get to the Capitol building on December 7th, read on! Here are six things to know to make the most of the event: 2014 Colorado Gives Day Rally With Governor Hickenlooper Date: Monday, December 7 on the West Steps of the Colorado State Capitol (Lincoln and Colfax). Parking is challenging so arrive early. Time: We begin with remarks promptly at 11 a.m. and finish by 11:30 . Governor Hickenlooper will join us and p...

By Angela Bevacqua, Senior Communications Specialist After your family recovers from its “L-Tryptophan slump” this Thanksgiving, why not use your holiday break to spread thanks to the nonprofits that serve our communities? Christine Moreland , Community First Foundation’s Controller, had the idea that Thanksgiving break—when her three daughters would be home together—would be a meaningful time to teach them about charitable giving. By using  Colorado Gives Day  as the catalyst, Christine and her husband are giving each child $100 to make their own personal selections on the website  ColoradoGives.org . Tricia, Trina and Tristin Moreland “My husband and I have always been charitable, but we have never involved the kids before,” said Christine. “We’re taking this opportunity to teach them how to use ColoradoGives.org and review local charities.” A Passion for the Arts Christine’s children are passionate about the arts ( see the Arts, Culture ...

By Angela Bevacqua, Senior Communications Specialist GivingTuesday is a campaign driven by social media to create a global day of service and charitable giving at the beginning of the holiday season. It’s a response to consumer-driven days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and aims to encourage giving world-wide. This year  #GivingTuesday  takes place on December 1—one week before  Colorado Gives Day . Although #GivingTuesday encourages acts of service, it does not accept or distribute donations.  Luckily, ColoradoGives.org does, so December 1 is also a perfect time to plan your Colorado Gives Day donations or schedule them in advance! If you’re a nonprofit on  ColoradoGives.org , here are some suggested social media posts to share on Dec. 1: Facebook #GivingTuesday, a movement to create a global day of service & giving, is Dec. 1. Use this day to schedule your donations for #CoGivesDay on @ColoradoGives.org. So many great ...

By Kayla Arnesen, Director of Strategic Communications Thanks to our wonderful Colorado Gives Day media sponsors, our statewide movement is receiving over $400,000 in donated print, online, on-air and billboard media support. These powerful partnerships help us reach Coloradans in nearly every part of the state and encourage them to donate to their favorite nonprofits on Colorado Gives Day. If you have the opportunity to interact with any of our sponsors, please thank them for their outstanding support: The Networks of 9NEWS iHeartMedia (Formerly Clear Channel) Entravision Comcast Denver Business Journal Rocky Mountain PBS Colorado Public Television (CPT12, PBS) Mile High Outdoor Advertising 5280 Magazine

By Kayla Arnesen, Director of Strategic Communications Kayla Arnesen If you’re a small nonprofit participating in Colorado Gives Day , you have a chance to win a wonderful media package from Colorado Gives Day sponsor Colorado Public Television . “We understand marketing a small organization is really challenging,” said Pam Parker of Colorado Public Television (CPT12, PBS). “We’re excited to present a small Colorado nonprofit with the opportunity to tell their story to our engaged and well-educated audience of more than 600,000 people each week. Over the course of the entire prize, that’s a lot of visibility — and potential impact — for a nonprofit.” The prize consists of a 10-week media campaign through Colorado Public Television that includes production of a 30-second commercial, airtime and more. Entries are accepted from November 15, 2015 through December 8, 2015. Participation Instructions Upload a photo on the contest page . Either in the photo or in the caption...

We always enjoy learning about the creative ways nonprofits use Colorado Gives Day as a catalyst to promote their work in the community. As always, we include some of our favorites in the video we create annually to inspire you. Deborah Jourdan, a Rebuilding Together Metro Denver board member, shared the following about their cold weather campaign: Weather forecasters are expecting the El Niño effect off the West Coast to whip up a snowy winter around Denver. With that in mind, Rebuilding Together Metro Denver is launching a cold weather campaign called the RTMD Shovel Brigade (#RTMDShovelUp) on Colorado Gives Day. Since 1999, RTMD has been serving low income older adults, those living with disabilities and veteran homeowners by partnering with sponsors and volunteers to provide free health and safety repairs to homes. During the winter, RTMD focuses on repairing and replacing faulty furnaces and water heaters, along with other items that impact health and safety. This wint...

By Vickie Wilson, Vice President of Development, Community First Foundation Colorado Gives Day offers a wonderful opportunity for nonprofit participants to attract new donors. These new relationships can be strengthened and deepened through a focused, intentional stewardship plan. But prepare your plan now, before Colorado Gives Day. Make sure the plan includes the basics: Thank You: Acknowledge gifts in a timely manner and, when possible, personalize your thank you. Use the donor’s name, reference the gift’s purpose and include additional information that helps connect the donor with the work of your organization. Make your thank you is heartfelt and simple.   Mission: Don’t assume that your new donor knows about your organization. Have letter, e-mail and website templates ready for communicating your mission, past successes and future plans. Stories and photos that describe the impact of gifts are particularly effective. If you have a newsletter, make sure your new d...