Colorado Gives Day is Tuesday
Four facts
What: Colorado Gives Day.
Number of participating local charities: 38
Last year’s donation total: $690,000
Where to donate: http://www.eaglecogives.org
EAGLE COUNTY — You have until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday to make the easiest donation you’ll ever make to your favorite local nonprofit group.
Eagle County Gives is part of the annual Colorado Gives Day, an on-line donation extravaganza. That event lasts just 24 hours and has a host of partners, including FirstBank. Besides focusing on one day of online charity, the sponsorships allow the project to boost donations, meaning a $100 donation will put a few extra dollars into a nonprofit group’s bank account.
Local businesses are also participating. Several lodges are asking guests to put another dollar on their bills, and restaurants including Blue Moose Pizza and Larkburger are donating part of their Dec. 9 proceeds to the cause. East West Resorts is asking its guests to give up one day of housekeeping, which will result in a $10 donation to Eagle County Gives.
The local charities all have to meet Colorado Gives Day standards, which requires financial reports and other evidence of a group’s fiscal responsibility and effectiveness. In return, local participants get to take part in a cooperative radio, TV and print marketing effort leading up to the 24-hour giveathon.
“People don’t understand how much nonprofits contribute to their experience while they’re here. This is a great chance for them to learn and get involved, too.”
Tsu Wolin Brown
Vail Valley Salvation Army directorSupport Local Journalism
The 2013 Eagle County Gives event raised about $690,000 for 34 nonprofit groups. Rebecca Gould of the Our Community Foundation, the financial agent for Eagle County Gives, said there are 38 local participants this year, and organizers hope 2014 collections hit $1 million.
Colleen Gray is the director of The Literacy Project, a local group that helps adults and youngsters improve their English language skills. Gray said this is the third year the group has participated in Colorado Gives Day. There have always been new donors, Gray said. And the opportunity to participate in the marketing program has helped make more people aware of what The Literacy Project does.
People who visit the Eagle County Gives website can learn more about the participating nonprofits, including the information that’s been submitted to the Colorado Gives Day project.
The Salvation Army is one of the well-known nonprofit groups in Eagle County Gives. Local chapter director Tsu Wolin Brown said although the Salvation Army’s mission is relatively well known, Colorado Gives Day is a quick, easy way to reach even more people.
“It hits some people who don’t think about giving until that day,” Wolin Brown said. “You can go online, surf the charities and give as much or as little as you want.”
Donors can give to a specific charity, or to the Eagle County Gives project — funds are distributed based on a formula based on group size, participation and other factors.
Beyond individual donations, Wolin Brown said she’s particularly happy that lodges and restaurants give guests a chance to participate, too.
“People don’t understand how much nonprofits contribute to their experience while they’re here,” Wolin Brown said. “This is a great chance for them to learn and get involved, too.”
Vail Daily Business Editor Scott Miller can be reached at 970-748-2930, smiller@vaildaily.com or @scottnmiller.
