Microsoft is delighted to host a guest blog from Eric Weinheimer, CEO of Forefront. Eric is highlighting a very important day for all nonprofits throughout Illinois: ILGive.
Microsoft is a member of Forefront and I am proud to personally support Forefront on the Board of Directors. Please take a few minutes to learn about this very important initiative and please spread the word about ILGive with your professional network.
— Shelley Stern Grach
We give thanks on Thanksgiving, go to the mall on Black Friday, and browse the web on Cyber Monday. Now, we have a day dedicated to giving back. On #ILGive for Giving Tuesday (December 1), nonprofit organizations, families, local businesses, and students around the world come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.
Now in its fourth year, #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media, people power, and collaboration. Observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Since its inaugural year in 2012, #GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving and philanthropy with events throughout the year and a growing catalog of organizations participating in spreading awareness and rallying communities. To date there are 40+ civic campaigns across the US harnessing the power of social media and goodwill driving charitable contributions to favorite causes and organizations.
Since its inception, the movement has gained 30,000 partners in over 60 countries and it is estimated that online donations have jumped 470% since #GivingTuesday was born in 2012.
Based in Chicago, #ILGive (pronounced “I’ll Give”) is in its second year as the statewide campaign for #GivingTuesday. Launched in 2014 by Forefront (previously Donors Forum), the state association for foundations and charitable nonprofits, the campaign mobilized thousands of people to donate nearly $4 million to their favorite causes in one day in its first year.
(How you can tell this is the giving season: All donations are meant to go directly to the organizations donated to.)
This year, #ILGive is raising the bar — $6 million is the bold goal. Over 300 charitable nonprofits have joined the campaign and now is the time for donors to start thinking about ways to prepare for the big day.
How Can You Be a Part of #ILGive on #ILGive?
- Pledge to Give to your favorite cause on Dec 1 – and then share it on your social media channels.
- If you don’t already have a cause you donate to, check out ILGive’s list of participating #ILGive nonprofits to help you find a cause to give to on ILGive (Dec 1).
- Set up a profile on Public Good. You can search for organizations working close to your home or that are working on causes close to your heart.
How Can Your Family Be a Part of #ILGive on Dec 1?
- Use these 3 Tips to Talk to Your Family About Giving from the Family Dinner Project, or check out Chicago Community Trust’s Philanthropy for Families Guide.
- For a week or two, everyone in the family skips the ‘extras.’ Take the money you would have spent and collect in a jar. Watch it grow and donate to your favorite cause!
- Claim your profile on Public Good and compete to be your cause’s biggest supporter.
- Be a social media ambassador. Help an organization you care about raise awareness by sharing the work they do on social media using the #ILGive hashtag.
- Have a conversation with your family about a cause that all of you can support. Donate to an organization that supports that cause.
- Hold a neighborhood yard or bake sale and donate the proceeds to a shared cause.
- Rather than purchasing gifts for the holiday season, go all out for your cause. Ask friends and family to donate to your organization on Tues., Dec. 1.
Why give? It feels good, it does good, and, ultimately, giving to worthy organizations makes our neighborhoods and families stronger. With campaigns like #ILGive for Giving Tuesday raising awareness, maybe giving back will be the indispensable gift this holiday season.
Join the movement and visit www.ILGive.com to learn more about how you can make a difference. Contact Marlee Honcoop ([email protected]) and Delia Coleman ([email protected]) for questions about the campaign.
#ILGive is a statewide, non-partisan movement to support nonprofit communities in Illinois by increasing individual giving. #ILGive is a multi-year initiative that will launch on December 1, 2015 as a compliment to the nationwide #GivingTuesday campaign. It is our goal to unite the state of Illinois in celebrating the contributions nonprofits make and to promote the values of philanthropy.