Relief is on the way for local charities, thanks to the Cumberland County’s first Giving Tuesday effort. Sixty-eight local charities joined with Cumberland Community Foundation and CityView Lifestyle Magazine and raised $1.164 million.
Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people across the country to do good. Over the past seven years, it has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. Always held on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday was December 1
st this year.
Donors responded generously to the CCF Giving Tuesday campaign, contributing $864,264. Combined with matches of $200,000 provided by the community foundation’s unrestricted endowments and $100,000 provided by the Manning family, the total raised was $1.164 million.
During 2020, nonprofits faced increased demand for services and at the same time had to cancel their fundraising events due to COVID-19. “It was a perfect storm. We needed to do something to help. Giving Tuesday seemed like the best way to work together and help our community,” said Mary Holmes, Executive Director of Cumberland Community Foundation. “CityView provided marketing support. Sixty-eight nonprofits reached out to their donors. CCF staff coordinated the gift processing. Everything just came together.”
Gifts to CCF’s Giving Tuesday campaign will stay local. Prospective donors searched through a “catalog” published by the community foundation in print and online. They made their selections and contributed online, by check, or through donor advised funds to the sixty-eight nonprofits in the catalog. A variety of organizations participated in Giving Tuesday, ranging from those that feed hungry seniors, take care of children, provide quality of life arts experiences, deliver services to the homeless, and support environmental quality.
In its report “How America Gives,” Philanthropy Journal ranked Fayetteville, NC as an extremely generous community, with individuals giving an average of 4.71% of Adjusted Gross Income in 2014. Other wealthier communities in North Carolina scored far lower. “There is a special feeling in Fayetteville. Our community always steps up and shows that we care deeply about people,” said Holmes.
The Giving Tuesday collaboration was a big undertaking. Most nonprofits in the area did not participate in Giving Tuesday in previous years, citing staffing capacity and lack of marketing resources. Coordination by Cumberland Community Foundation was the catalyst needed to launch the program. “I am very proud of our staff members – Cameron Sims (Donor Services) and Amanda Klinck (Grants Manager) – who designed and implemented this entire campaign. And our Financial Assistant, Marie Milton, coordinated the processing and tax receipts for 1536 gifts in only 48 hours.”
“Every fundraising effort is different,” said Holmes. “But, the wide range of gifts in this campaign was pretty typical in Fayetteville. Ranging from $25.00 to $100,000.00, every gift will make a difference.”
This week, Cumberland Community Foundation will distribute the $1.164 million raised to the sixty-eight nonprofits that participated. Payments to individual organizations ranged from $174.50 to $134,723.52, reflecting the donations to the individual organizations and the allocation of the matching funds.
Cumberland Community Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable foundation that serves donors and nonprofits in Cumberland County, NC. Now in its 40
th year, the foundation has awarded over $62 million in grants and scholarships since its founding in 1980.
For more information visit
www.cumberlandcf.org or call (910)483-4449.