Local Nonprofits Gear Up for North Texas Giving Day
It’s the 12th Annual North Texas Giving Day, and this year the need is even greater as charities and nonprofits have been forced to completely rethink the way they fundraise, all while continuing to serve populations where need is growing exponentially because of the pandemic.
Nonprofit registration closed with 3,300 nonprofits enrolling to benefit from much-needed support on North Texas Giving Day, September 17.
Evidence of community need is clear— of the more than 3,300 total nonprofits registered, event organizers report a 21% uptick in first-time nonprofit participants and specific requests that not only address community need, but backfill dwindling resources at nonprofits. Local needs fall in line with national trends reported by The Chronicle of Philanthropy showing that 1.6 million jobs or 13 percent of all nonprofit jobs in America were lost, and 75 percent of nonprofits reported earning less revenue due to the pandemic.
The flagship giving event that has buoyed the community for 11 years will play an even more critical role this year, helping to offset two canceled fundraising seasons and the enduring, increasing community needs spurred by COVID-19. North Texas nonprofit Animal Refuge Foundation and others are eager to make progress on community issues, fueled by the support of donors this North Texas Giving Day.
“We participated in North Texas Giving Day for the first time in 2019 and raised over $23,000! We reached a broader audience, gained more supporters and made lasting relationships that will help us reach our goal for this year!” said Jenna Glover, Vice President of Animal Refuge Foundation. “Thanks to North Texas Giving Day, we were able to help more dogs in 2019 than ever before and we hope to surpass that success and make 2020 our greatest year yet!”
In response to the impacts of COVID-19 and racial and civil uprisings, new on the website this year is the ability to search for and support nonprofits that self-designated having BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) leadership. Further, new cause filters were added to easily find and support nonprofits working in Employment and Workforce, Human Trafficking, Immigrants and Refugees, and Justice-Involved Adults and Youth.
“North Texas Giving Day started as an online-only event, which is so helpful in these times of stay-athome orders and social distancing,” says Susan Swan Smith, Chief Giving Day Officer at Communities Foundation of Texas. “Everything – from donating, to volunteering, to just simply celebrating nonprofits who support our community every day, but especially now – can be done safely, online on North Texas Giving Day.”
The 12th annual North Texas Giving Day, powered by Communities Foundation of Texas, opens with early giving on September 1, and concludes September 17 at midnight, offering virtual and socially distanced ways throughout the campaign to support and celebrate local nonprofits:
September 1, 6 a.m. to September 17, midnight – Donate to any nonprofit or FUNdraiser listed on www.NorthTexasGivingDay.org.
September 17, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. – free, livestreamed ‘North Texas Giving Day Concert Presented by the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation and Levitt Pavilion’ will feature online concert performances on Levitt Pavilion’s Facebook page with performing artist and arts advocate BJ Cleveland as the event’s emcee.
The concert line-up and schedule is:
- 11 a.m. – Larry Gee
- 1 p.m. – Hannah Kirby and Brad Thompson
- 3 p.m. – Bri Bagwell
- 5 p.m. – Ron Bultongez
- 7 p.m. – Radney Foster
Do you have a favorite local nonprofit? Use the comment section of this story to give readers the elevator pitch for why their donation should go to you.
