Pride, Eggplants, and a Case for Spreading the Word

By Lisa Lujan, Online Giving Coordinator

I’m not going to lie, I’m proud.

I’m proud to be a part of the ColoradoGives program at Community First Foundation because I love helping other people. I’m always a little thrown back when people ask where I work, then look at me like I have eggplants growing out of my ears when I enthusiastically reply, “I’m part of the ColoradoGives program at Community First Foundation!”

Even though I’m thrown back, it’s okay. It’s okay because it’s a great opportunity to tell them what I do, how important our nonprofits are to the community, and why we should support them.

We know that for many of you, this season – especially Colorado Gives Day on December 6 – is one of the most important fundraising periods of the year. That’s why I’m encouraging you to share the ways people can get involved with ColoradoGives.org on Colorado Gives Day. Shout it from the rooftops! Tell friends and family to do the same. If we all tell one new person, think what the impact could be.

Here are the less obvious ways you and your friends and family can get involved in the excitement of the day:

Join the ColoradoGives Day Corporate Challenge presented by the Denver Business Journal or encourage other businesses to do so. In its third year, the Corporate Challenge pits companies against themselves in a fun and friendly competition to raise money for the more than 2,000 Colorado nonprofits participating in Colorado Gives Day.
Buy a GivingeCard for your favorite kiddo to use on our newest site, KidsforColoradoGives.org, to get the whole family involved in the day.
Makea fundraising page for your favorite nonprofit, email it out, put it on social media and encourage friends and family to give.
Schedule your donation! Especially on November 29, which is #GivingTuesday nationally, remember that in Colorado, the way we participate in #GivingTuesday is by scheduling our #COGivesDay donations. Of course, you can schedule a donation anytime between now and Colorado Gives Day.
Join us November 29 (#GivingTuesday) on the Capitol’s West Steps for our annual Colorado Gives Day Rally!

No matter how you choose to participate in the day, be proud, Colorado, and proud to give where you live!

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By Angela Bevacqua, Communications Specialist Two months later and we’re still learning from Colorado Gives Day 2010. As we pour through data and listen to the experiences of our nonprofit friends and donors, we gain new insights about fundraising and philanthropy in Colorado. At a recent gathering of our Nonprofit Advisory Committee—a varied group of GivingFirst nonprofits that help us improve the program—we heard these reflections about The Day: Dan Hanley, director of development for Boulder County AIDS Project , said that 45% of their donations on Dec. 8 were from new donors. The agency raised more than $20,000 from 178 donations after a whirlwind of events. Dan said there are limitless ways in which you can promote your agency for Colorado Gives Day. They began soliciting support in the late-night hours of Dec. 7 at a bar in Denver, then moved on to the Denver Diner in the a.m., then several coffee shops in Boulder, and ended with a standing-room-only concert at the Boulder

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