The good keeps growing. Omaha Gives! the metro area’s newest form of philanthropy grew 40 percent in its third year to reach $8.8 million. Over 20,000 people supported 704 nonprofits with over 47,000 donations—in one day! That kind of growth is outpacing other giving days, and we couldn’t be prouder to be a part of it. This year’s event is set for May 25.
Philanthropy can take many forms. The word itself evokes different feelings for different people. It can symbolize generosity and community well-being to some. At times, it can feel more formal than giving, but it doesn’t have to be. Generally speaking, it’s the love of humankind. Omaha Gives! is a digital platform that empowers a community of givers to support nonprofits—a form of philanthropy that uses technology to benefit the community.
The traditional definition of philanthropy typically involves the gift of time, treasure, and talent to organizations working to make the community better. More recently, many also add “voice” and “network” to the definition of philanthropy. Using one’s voice to educate and advocate for what you care about most. And sharing that passion through your trusted networks via traditional methods like fundraising events or more modern channels like social media is a new way of engaging in philanthropy.
Omaha Gives! provides an avenue for anyone to share their “voice” and use their “network” to advocate for their favorite causes. Families, individuals, kids—all are welcome to give during the event and we encourage each donor to shout loud and tell their friends about where they give. A $10 donation plus your voice and network can have a powerful effect on a nonprofit.
Over 46 percent of donations during Omaha Gives! were first-time donations to a nonprofit. That means that people are finding new causes to support during the event. Post-event survey responses tell us that those people are learning about these new causes from their friends—either in person or via social media. These first-time gifts resulted in $885,000 in new giving for nonprofits—or about 10 percent of the overall amount raised.
Beyond giving to new organizations, donors are giving to more organizations and they’re giving higher amounts. The average number of nonprofits supported per donor has increased each year as well as the average gift per donor which has increased from $132 to $166 over the course of the event.
It’s also a great investment for our nonprofit friends working hard to make the community better. Omaha Gives! helps many of them raise funds at a lower cost than traditional fundraising methods. The average cost to raise $1 through traditional fundraising methods like events or direct mail ranges from $.50 to $1.50. The average cost to raise $1 for nonprofits participating in Omaha Gives! is $0.40. Supporting them through this event helps them keep overall fundraising costs lower.
There are so many reasons to give during this event, but the most important reason is because of how much you love the community. Every year, donors tell us how proud they are to be a part of the fifth largest giving day in the nation. We are too! But it couldn’t happen without the 704 nonprofits that do so much for our community. Come out strong to support your favorite nonprofits, learn about new ones, and then tell all your friends about them!
For more information, visit OmahaGives.org or call the Omaha Community Foundation at (402) 342-3458.