ColoradoGives.org

Would a change of scenery inject new life into your planning meetings and retreats? Is your office lacking the space and technology you need to conduct an effective training session? Is the cost of renting a meeting room just too prohibitive?   Community First Foundation recently built a spacious, beautiful new meeting area specifically for nonprofit needs like this. By offering the space free of charge , we are delivering on one of our strategic priorities to strengthen nonprofits. Features of New Meeting Space One of Five Complimentary Meeting Room Options Available to Nonprofits Five room options  The largest space accommodates up to 56 people and is ideal for trainings and breakout sessions. Brand new facility   Attractive furnishings and everything in working order means you will make a great impression. Latest technology Polycom conferencing phones and audio conferencing accommodate off-site participants. Numerous windows Natural light brightens t...

Christy Bergman Ali Brieske To expand upon the discussion of retaining your new Colorado Gives Day donors, this week we are featuring excerpts from a blog by Director of Resource Development Christy Bergman and Marketing & Business Development Associate Ali Brieske from JVA . JVA provides social enterprises, nonprofits and government agencies with the tools and resources they need to succeed, sustain and scale. Ali:  Now that we have these new donors, how do we keep them? Christy:   Great question—and the most important. It is far less expensive to keep a current donor than it is to find a new one. And retention is really all about stewardship—the process of thanking, recognizing and communicating impact to your donors. Stewardship is what keeps retention rates high, and even makes upgrades possible. When your donors are happy, it means that you know who they are and why they give. You’re making it clear that their investment is meaningful and appre...

by Lisa Lujan Whew! We made it. Colorado Gives Day is over, time to sit back, relax and completely ignore everything having to do with Colorado Gives Day until next year, right? Not exactly. In fact, Colorado Gives Day is just the first step in a series of steps towards turning that one-time donor into a lifetime supporter. Let’s start with the basics. Have you thanked your donors? This very important relationship-building step is vital to letting donors know how much they’re appreciated (read our Don’t Let them Get Away  blog or watch our Nurturing Long Lasting Relationships with Your Donors after Colorado Gives Day webinar, both from 2014). Keep it personal and remember you’re cultivating a relationship; you wouldn’t send your grandma a form letter if she gave you a card for your birthday, would you? So why do that to your donors? Yes, it’s a little different, but you get the idea. So now that you’ve done this important first step, what's next? Well, a great ...

By Marla J. Williams, President & CEO, Community First Foundation Yesterday, along with many of you, we watched the Colorado Gives Day counter track the number of dollars, donations and nonprofits receiving gifts. We updated the total dollars raised every few hours on our Facebook page and applauded as the numbers mounted. As the final hours drew closer, we crossed our fingers—would we beat last year’s numbers? If so, by how much? After donations surpassed our expectations ($26.2 million in donations last year) and we cheered over the final number ($28.4 million raised), we paused to remind ourselves that the success of Colorado Gives Day is measured by more than just a number: Colorado Gives Day is a success because it makes it easy and fun for thousands of donors to make a big difference for hundreds of nonprofits. It’s a success because it mobilizes nonprofits and sparks their creative fundraising. It’s a success because hundreds of nonprofits end the day strong...

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 ...