Local Knowledge and Giving Resource

Through giveGreater.org, 100 local nonprofits posted online profiles outlining their missions, programs and finances. Many organizations reported how beneficial the site was in attracting new supporters. Donors also expressed pleasure in having a one-stop local knowledge and giving resource.

When The Community Foundation created giveGreater.org in November 2010, it had as its goals to increase giving to local causes and to strengthen the nonprofit sector through greater transparency. By the end of year, those goals were met. The commitment continues.

Through the giveGreater.org 2010 Challenge, more than half-a-million dollars was raised for the local nonprofit community, giving organizations like the Women & Family Life Center (WFLC) in Guilford an opportunity to upgrade outdated technology.

According to Liza Petra, Executive Director of the Center, "the unexpected funding we received through the giveGreater.org Challenge [enabled] us to finally replace our existing computer hardware and upgrade to a domain-based network with a domain server and the appropriate security." Even more than that, giveGreater.org helped WFLC, "for the first time, to accept donations online. It's a great feeling to join the 21st Century."

Providing participating nonprofits with online giving capability is a major feature of giveGreater.org; according to Foundation surveys and research, approximately 40%- 45% of nonprofits in the Greater New Haven region don't have the ability to accept online donations.

Another nonprofit becoming stronger because of giveGreater.org is Gaylord Hospital. An Early Bird ($5,000) and Third Place ($5,000) Challenge prize winner, Gaylord is using the money to underwrite staff education, “to continue to produce positive patient outcomes and adapt to changing and evolving healthcare needs of the future,” says Director of Development Tara Knapp.

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra was another Early Bird ($5,000) Prize winner that reported, like WFLC, many new first time donors as well as small additional contributions from long-time supporters. "The number of individual contributions to our annual fund increased by 32% over last season," reported Development Director Elaine Carroll.  "With the support of giveGreater.org, our Annual Fund is outpacing last season despite a challenging economic environment."

In fact, 51% of nonprofits reported that their overall 2010 individual giving increased and 83% reported that they received gifts from new donors as a result of the giveGreater.org 2010 Challenge.

Data collected on giveGreater.org is based on nonprofit best practice in the areas of governance, management, programs and finances. As such, the online giving and knowledge resource provides a capacity building opportunity for the nonprofits as well as comparable data to help The Community Foundation and donors better understand the status and needs of the nonprofit sector.

The Community Foundation is commited to expanding giveGreater.org and its role as a valuable resource to the nonprofit and donor community in 2011 and beyond. Training sessions to create a giveGreater.org profile for nonprofits serving Greater New Haven are listed below. For more information about the sessions, contact Stephanie Chung at schung@cfgnh.org or call 203-777-7077. To register, click on the hyperlinks below.