Established in 2010, Colorado Gives Day is an annual initiative designed to encourage online philanthropy statewide and the second largest online donation day of the year — aside, of course, from New Year’s Eve.
On Tuesday, Dec. 6, the Community First Foundation, in partnership with First Bank, will call on generous Coloradans and philanthropists everywhere to donate online to the more than 1,800 local nonprofits listed on coloradogives.org. Each nonprofit that receives a donation on Colorado Gives Day will also receive a portion of a $1 million incentive fund, established by Community First and First Bank.
In 2014, donations came from all 50 states, and Puerto Rico, plus 13 other countries around the world, according to data from the Community First Foundation. The amount of donors grows each year, and with them, the amount of donations raised.
To-date, Colorado Gives Day has raised about $111 million for local nonprofits, Dana Rinderknecht, director of online giving at the Community First Foundation, told the Denver Post.
And the scope of charities and nonprofits can appeal to even the most eccentric philanthropist. Here are just a few of them:
Art From Ashes - Seeks to empower at-risk youth through spoken word, poetry and art.
Colorado I Have a Dream Foundation - Works to ensure all students graduate and pursue post-graduation goals.
The Cloud Foundation - Helps preserve wild horses and burros on public land.
Cool Science - Works to make science "cool and fun" for kids by bringing hands-on programs to schools.
Denver Woman's Press Club - This home for women writers hopes for donations to repair its historical brick and mortar location.
Harm Reduction Action Center - Teaches harm reduction techniques to former and current IV drug users and runs a syringe exchange program.
Rocky Mountain Victim Law Center - Aims to transform the criminal justice system and safeguard victims' rights.
Mental Health Colorado - A leading advocate for early intervention and treatment of mental disorders.
Multimedia business & healthcare reporter Chloe Aiello can be reached via email at [email protected] or twitter.com/chlobo_ilo.
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