WESTFIELD – As 350 local nonprofits and programs gear up for Valley Gives, western Massachusetts’ big 24-hour e-philanthropy event, it appears that the pot has been sweetened considerably.
An additional $25,000 has flooded in from area donors, bringing the prize pool to a whopping $225,000, which will be distributed among the NPOs with the three largest donation hauls on December 12.
These last minute gifts are a repeat of last year when donors stepped forward days before the inaugural event to pledge their additional support.
Valley Gives’ original plan was to give out $150,000 in unrestricted cash to participating nonprofits in the form of bonus matches and to those that raised the most money from their donors, old and new.
Now only a year later, the project is able to give out an additional $75,000 in 2013.
Instead of a small number of large-dollar Golden Tickets like last year’s event, this year will see more smaller tickets given away, which means around 30 percent of all the participating nonprofits will be eligible to win a Golden Ticket.
“Each nonprofit will only be able to get one Golden Ticket this year, which means more will benefit,” said Communications Director Michael Kusek.
This year’s structure groups NPOs into two budget categories, budgets greater than $300,000, and budgets less than $300,000. NPOs will compete for bonus grants presented to the top three slots for “Most Money Raised” and for “Most Donors.”
First place in each category will receive $10,000, with $7,500 and $5,000 going to second and third place, respectively.
In keeping with the 12.12 theme, nonprofits in 12th place for “Most Money Raised” and in “Most Donors” in each budget category will get a $1,200 bonus grant.
Additionally, beginning at 9 a.m. until 11 p.m., a randomly selected donation made by a participating donor will have $1,200 Golden Ticket added to their gift on the hour.
Throughout the day there will be five bonus power hours, at 7 and 10 a.m., and 12, 4, and 6 p.m., when a total of 92 Golden Tickets will be added to randomly selected donations.
Asked as to which NPOs are looking to receive the largest donations, Kusek said that it’s “anybody’s guess”, and that people are “super energized”.
“The donor bases for nonprofits are always looking for ways to give, and this is a new way to do it,” he said.
When asked as to whether or not the current state of the economy will have an effect on the December 12 event, Kusek is optimistic that it won’t.
“Donors like the ‘all in this together as a region’ idea,” he said. “Whether you donate $10 or $10,000 dollars, you don’t have to be a philanthropist. Anyone can make a difference.”
Kusek added that the Valley Gives website will have a leader board which will be highlighting the NPOs with the most donors and donations received and encourages all to keep up with the festivities online throughout the day.
Valley Gives will take place on Thursday from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Gifts can be made at www.valleygivesday.org. Potential donors are encouraged to follow Valley Gives in real time on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ValleyGives or on Twitter (@ValleyGives.)
Westfield’s Non Profit Volunteer Network (NPVN) is a group of local organizations that meets throughout the year to promote the interests of local NPOs. They have been collaborating to further promote participation in Valley Gives Day.
One plan NPVN has to get the word out in Westfield is for area restaurants including The Good Table, Leo’s Gallery Deli, Two Rivers Burritos, 7B’s, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Elm Street Diner, Clemenza’s, and The Tavern to have table tent cards reminding patrons to give to a Westfield charity on Thursday. There also will be members of the NPVN staffing several of those restaurants Thursday during the breakfast, lunch and dinner hours to encourage people to give and even offer the opportunity to do so right then and there using laptops and smartphones. They will be placing lawn signs around town to highlight the day and a stand out bucket collection has been scheduled for the Dunkin Donuts on Main Street from 7-11 a.m.
Valley Gives is hosted by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, along with other partners which include eight of the leading funding organizations serving western Massachusetts, most notably the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, Jewish Endowment Foundation, Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, United Way of Hampshire County, United Way of Franklin County, United Way of Pioneer Valley, Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, and The Beveridge Family Foundation.
Valley Gives is also supported by featured sponsors including Big Y, Easthampton Savings Bank Foundation, Inc.; Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury, Murphy, P.C., UBS Keady Foard Montemangi Wealth Management Group and The Dennis Group, LLC., along with underwriters including Balise; Peter Pan; United Personnel, Andrews Associates, Greenfield Cooperative Bank, and Paragus Strategic I.T.
Featured media sponsors include Newspapers of New England (Daily Hampshire Gazette, Greenfield Recorder and Valley Advocate), The Republican and masslive.com, and WWLP TV-22. Additional media sponsorship comes from: The Reminder Publications, The Westfield News Group, Saga Communications (WRSI-FM, WHMP-AM and HITS 94.3) and Lazer 99.3.
