Giving Partner challenge a magnificent demonstration of community support

There's always a buzz surrounding the Giving Partner Giving Challenge. Why? It combines the best feel-good stories a community has to offer. A burst of pent-up community philanthropy benefiting local nonprofits. Nonprofits practicing creative communications campaigns to share their missions and attract existing and new donors. Foundations collaborating to provide match and prize money to incentivize donations.

The excitement for the 2014 challenge was on a whole new level. Part of Give Local America, a national movement to reignite the spirit of giving across the country, The Giving Partner's 24-hour Giving Challenge raised $3.1 million from more than 19,000 online donations in 24 hours. Our region was No. 1 out of 115 communities! Nationwide, the Give Local America raised $53.3 million.

Some highlights from our region's day of giving:

1) $450,000 in match money from The Patterson Foundation for new or increased gifts benefited 66.5 percent of organizations that participated in the challenge. TPF's match was driven by the amount of prize money contributed by collaborating foundations at a 2:1 ratio.

2) $225,000 in prize money from collaborating foundations was available throughout the challenge.

3) Human services agencies benefited from the most gifts and donations with animal services, arts and culture, education and youth development closely behind.

4) Donations during the 2014 challenge originated from 29 countries -- from the United Kingdom and New Zealand to Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates.

5) 69 percent of donations made were $50 or less -- indicating that philanthropists of all levels participated in this year's challenge.

6) Out of large nonprofits, Cat Depot earned the most donations while Honor Animal Rescue received the most donations as a small nonprofit.

7) The following organizations did the best job of driving people to view their profiles on The Giving Partner during the challenge (each received $4,000 prize).

- Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation

- ABA Academy

- Community Youth Development

-University of South Florida Foundation

- Bradenton Christian School

- Sarasota Crew

8) Kudos to Goodwill Manasota and Girl Scouts Southwest Florida on receiving a prize for best nonprofit partnership.

9) Prize for best business partnership went to Louie's Modern and Embracing Our Differences.

10) The best overall campaign was a tie that went to Hearing Loss Association of America and Cat Depot.

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