The fifth anniversary year of Midlands Gives, Central Carolina Community Foundation’s 24-hour online giving challenge, has begun. Nonprofit registration is now open for the May 1, 2018 giving day, which will again be headquartered at the South Carolina State Museum. Registration is open until Dec. 19, 2017 at http://www.MidlandsGives.org.

Central Carolina Community Foundation’s annual online giving day allows hundreds of nonprofits across 11 Midlands counties to raise funds for their organizations via one simple, user-friendly online donation website. The website’s “shopping cart” experience makes it easy to give to multiple nonprofits at one time.

Midlands Gives has raised a collective $5,523,721 for local nonprofits since its inception in 2014. In 2017, the fourth annual Midlands Gives raised more than $1.67 million for 335 nonprofit organizations around the Midlands, with a record 13,765 individual donations. After a smooth experience in 2017, Midlands Gives again will be administered using the CiviCore online giving platform, and as always, after a 4.9% credit card fee and technology fee from CiviCore, 100% of each donation goes to the donor’s nonprofit of choice.

Midlands Gives is one of hundreds of independently organized giving days across the nation and regularly ranks in the top 10 nationally for number of individual gifts. Thanks to funds raised via Midlands Gives, nonprofits are able to increase their impact in the community, provide crucial public services and improve quality of life in the Midlands region.

Once again, regional media outlets came together in 2017 to offer vast, in-depth coverage leading up to and during the 24-hour challenge, making it possible for nonprofits to reach new donors. Notably, 46% of donors in 2017 gave to the nonprofit of their choice for the first time, and every nonprofit that participated received at least one donation.

“Midlands Gives unites our community, encourages collaboration and helps nonprofits raise much needed funds,” says JoAnn Turnquist, President & CEO of Central Carolina Community Foundation. “Our team looks forward to kicking off the fifth year of this event.”

Register, Learn, Plan, Promote

This year, training and support services for participating nonprofits are organized under four pillars: register, learn, plan and promote. For the fifth anniversary year, advance training and guidance for nonprofits has been fine-tuned to further enable participating nonprofits to meet or exceed their Midlands Gives fundraising goals. Eligibility requirements can be found at http://www.MidlandsGives.org, along with registration info.

Training and resources offered to nonprofits for Midlands Gives 2018 include the following:

• Webinars on social media and skill building training will be hosted with guidance from Together SC, formerly the S.C. Association of Nonprofit Organizations (SCANPO).
• This year the Community Foundation will offer “Midlands Gives 101,” a strategy session for nonprofits who are new to Midlands Gives, in partnership with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).
• Optional mixers will be hosted by the Community Foundation, enabling nonprofits to connect with each other and potentially partner on campaigns.
• A mentorship program will be established so experienced nonprofits can help guide less experienced nonprofits through the Midlands Gives process.
• A simple toolkit will be provided for boards of directors to help nonprofits build out their fundraising programs.

What You Can Do to Get Involved

This fall, community members can get involved by encouraging their favorite local nonprofits to register for Midlands Gives at http://www.MidlandsGives.org. For those skilled in getting the word out, consider offering your services as a volunteer to a preferred nonprofit to aid in their social media outreach and fundraising efforts leading up to the May 1, 2018 event.