Tampa, Fla. (May 17, 2017) – The Tampa Bay community donated more than $1.75 million during this year’s Give Day Tampa Bay, the 24-hour online giving challenge held on May 2. More than 10,000 donors contributed to 515 local nonprofits – a record for the annual campaign, now in its fourth year.
This year, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, which organizes Give Day, placed an emphasis on increasing the number of unique donors who made a donation.
“Once again, the generosity of the Tampa Bay community has blown us away,” said Marlene Spalten, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay. “Involving more people in philanthropy was one of our main goals this year, and more than 10,000 individuals took part in making our region an even better place.”
The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay challenged this year’s nonprofits to think outside the box when it came to running their campaigns. The Foundation awarded $5,000 to the nonprofit that executed the most creative and unique strategy. An independent panel of judges selected Beat Nb Cancer Foundation, which partnered with the Ryan Callahan Foundation on its campaign.
Beat Nb, which drives neuroblastoma cancer research and raises awareness for the children’s cancer, was set up in Lykes Gaslight Square Park in downtown Tampa on Give Day with a large art installation. For every $25 donation received, a magnet was removed from the installation. Eventually enough donations were made to remove all of the magnets and reveal a photo of Ryan Callahan, Tampa Bay Lightning player. Donors also received a signed photo of Callahan as a thank you.
“Our local nonprofits were particularly inspiring this year. So many of them planned special events and found creative ways to showcase the good work they do every day to make our community a better place to live,” said Spalten. “Picking one winner was particularly difficult.”
Big Cat Rescue was the top fundraiser in the Large Nonprofits category, with $49,669 donated by 667 donors in 24 hours. However, Beat Nb received the most unique donors in the category at 748 donors raising $19,564. Center for Great Apes at $28,235 and Humane Society of Tampa Bay at $23,115 were other top fundraisers in the Large Nonprofits category.
High Risk Hope raised the most money in the Small Nonprofit category, with $26,307 raised by 320 unique donors. Suncoast Animal League at $25,330 with 638 unique donors and Chabad of Clearwater at $11,169 with 769 unique donors, were the other top fundraisers in the Small Nonprofit.
In addition to individual donors, the business community also showed its support on Give Day. Several sponsors including USAmeriBank, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, Gobioff Foundation, AARP, TECO Energy and the DeBartolo Family Foundation, funded prizes for the nonprofits with the most unique donors. Here is a list of the winners:
• Chabad of Clearwater and Beat Nb each won the $7,500 prize for most unique donors presented by USAmeriBank.
• Chabad of Clearwater, Community Food Pantry, Tampa Bay Beagle Rescue, High Risk Hope, Suncoast Animal League, The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, Beat Nb, and The Cypress Initiative each won $1,000 through TECO Power Hour prizes.
• Big Cat Rescue won $2,000 for the TECO Power Hour Lunch prize.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay and Community Learning Center each won a $2,500 Education and Youth Development prize, sponsored by the Tampa Bay Rays.
• WMNF 88.5 FM and Carrollwood Players each won a $5,000 Arts and Culture prize, sponsored by The Gobioff Foundation.
• Metropolitan Ministries and Chabad of Clearwater each won a $2,500 Community Improvement prize, sponsored by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
• Big Cat Rescue and Suncoast Animal League each won a $2,500 Animal Services prize, sponsored by The DeBartolo Family Foundation.
• Beat Nb and High Risk Hope won a $2,500 Health and Human Services prize, sponsored by AARP.
In addition, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay provided extensive exposure to nonprofits participating in Give Day Tampa Bay, including a number of stories in local newspapers and on TV and radio outlets. Also, WEDU carried a Give Day webcast live from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on its website, giving more than 100 nonprofits the opportunity to tell their story to potential donors.
“The goal of Give Day is to raise money, of course, but we also want to raise awareness about our local nonprofits and their missions,” said Spalten. “Our hope is that nonprofits attract new supporters.”
Since 2014, Give Day Tampa Bay has raised nearly $7 million for causes ranging from arts and culture to health and wellness and animal welfare to education and youth development.
About Give Day Tampa Bay
Give Day Tampa Bay was part of a national event in which communities across the country ask people to give to their local nonprofits on one specific day – May 3, 2016. This year’s theme, “Live Here, Give Here,” highlighted the fact that all donations given on Give Day Tampa Bay will remain right here in the Tampa Bay area, helping the hundreds of nonprofit organizations that work each and every day to make life better for the Tampa Bay community.
About the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay
Founded in 1990, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay connects donors, nonprofits, community and business leaders, professional advisors, volunteers and residents to make the maximum positive impact in the Tampa Bay region. For the last 25 years, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has been dedicated to making giving easy and meaningful for donors as a way to strengthen nonprofit organizations and build a better, more vibrant community. Since its inception, its donors have enabled the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay to award more than $175 million in grants to nonprofit organizations across the country.