NEW YORK – In two weeks, the 2nd annual Give OUT Day (www.giveoutday.org) will bring together over 400 LGBTQ nonprofits and thousands of donors to support the LGBTQ community.
“Give OUT Day offers a chance for our country to come together and support the hundreds of LGBTQ groups – community centers, arts groups, organizers, clinics, student clubs, sports leagues and more – that support our diverse and amazing community,” said Bolder Giving’s executive director Jason Franklin. “I’m excited to see the momentum building after our amazing launch last year, we have even more groups participating and I’m hoping we’ll raise over $1 million for LGBTQ equality May 15.”
Give OUT Day is a 24-hour online fundraising competition that unites the LGBTQ community nationally to raise critically needed funds to support the diverse array of LGBTQ nonprofits. Organized by Bolder Giving, a NYC-based nonprofit that works to inspire people to give, and powered by Razoo, the leading online donation platform, Give OUT Day offers hundreds of LGBTQ organizations across the country to take part in a shared 1-day fundraising campaign to raise money and awareness for the LGBTQ community.
“Give OUT Day is an unparalleled opportunity for even small LGBTQ nonprofits to reach new donors. And, at the same time, by making information on the nonprofits so readily available, Give OUT Day empowers both long-time and newer donors to support causes they care about,” said Roger Doughty, Executive Director of the Horizons Foundation, sponsor of two of the nine prize boards around the country.
In 2013, the inaugural Give OUT Day engaged almost 5,500 donors who gave over $600,000 to 400+ groups from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington DC. Even more encouraging, over one third of all donors discovered a new group to support on Give OUT Day and 13% were first time donors to an LGBTQ organization. Additionally, 81% of participating groups reported receiving gifts from new donors and 82% reported raising larger donations from their current donors.
“One of the best ways to help create long lasting change is to support LGBTQ non-profits for the outstanding work they do in every part of our nation every day. That’s why the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is delighted to partner with Bolder Giving for the second annual Give OUT Day and to have launched nonprofit recruitment at our annual conference, Creating Change. I encourage everyone to give back, regardless of how big or small, to move things forward,” said Rea Carey, Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
Give OUT Day 2013, powered by Razoo, is a 24-hour day of giving running from 12am-11:59 pm EST on May 15th. In addition, the top 3 groups national receiving gifts from the most unique donors will receive additional cash prizes, as will the top three groups in each of eight states/regions with prize boards – Minnesota, Oregon, Arizona, South Florida, Bay Area (2 boards), New York City, the Pacific Northwest, and the US South. The Kevin J. Mossier Foundation and an anonymous donor provided lead funding for Give OUT Day 2014. Local prizes were sponsored by the Horizons Foundation, North Star Fund, Our Fund, Kevin J. Mossier Foundation, and an anonymous funder.
“Less than 5 percent of the LGBTQ community currently gives to LGBTQ causes, according to research from the Horizons Foundation and the Movement Advancement Project,” said Charlie Rounds, Give OUT Day Founder and Trustee of the Kevin J. Mossier Foundation. “Give OUT Day promotes a new way of giving by harnessing the power of social media and Razoo’s crowd funding platform to inspire thousands to contribute within a 24-hour giving challenge. Give OUT Day aims to raise awareness of the need to support LGBTQ nonprofits and elevate the level of LGBTQ philanthropy.”
