May 11 chance to help hard-hit non-profits with donations

The 24-hour event begins at midnight (EDT) on May 11 and continues until 11:59 p.m. (EDT). Kentuckians near and far will go online to www.kygives.org, connect with the Kentucky charities and causes they care about, and make donations.

Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) designation and operating in Kentucky may register through April 20 at www.kygives.org. Kentucky Gives Day registration is free for members of Kentucky Nonprofit Network (KNN), the state association of nonprofits.

Charities that are not yet members of KNN may join at the time of registration or pay a one-time Kentucky Gives Day registration fee. Free training for participating organizations is provided by KNN’s online giving platform partner, GiveGab. Interested organizations are invited to view a webinar recording with details on the event at www.kygives.org/info/trainings.

Kentuckians came together to help nonprofits raise over $466,000 during the 2020 event – a time when charities were reeling from the cancellation of schedule fundraising events. Nonprofits participating in Kentucky Gives Day have raised $2.7 million in eight years.

The 2021 online fundraising event provides a critical opportunity for a still struggling nonprofit sector. According to the Year-End Health of the Sector Survey conducted by KNN and Grantmakers of Kentucky, responding nonprofits reported an increase in the demand for services impacting over 100,000 Kentuckians.

The snapshot of the pandemic’s impact on Kentucky nonprofits also highlighted the loss of over $201 million in revenue and increased expenses of $14 million since March 2020.

While data from the Blackbaud Institute Charitable Giving Report showed that online giving to charities rose by 21% in 2020, it also showed that nonprofits with annual fundraising levels of less than $1 million saw a decline of 7.2% in their 2020 donations.

Given 83% of Kentucky’s nonprofits have annual revenue of less than $1 million, KNN is concerned for the nonprofit sector – the state’s fourth largest employer – and the communities and Kentuckians they serve.

“Kentucky’s nonprofit sector is resilient and inspiring on an ordinary day,” said Danielle Clore, CEO of KNN. “And yet their ability to step up, innovate and meet the needs of Kentuckians and our communities in the face of increased demand for services, lost revenue, shrinking donations, layoffs, increased expenses, and other unimaginable obstacles is nothing short of extraordinary. We urge all eligible nonprofits to register to participate and allow Kentucky Gives Day to help tell your story. We also ask all Kentuckians who can on May 11 to participate in this powerful day of action by donating to these organizations investing in our Commonwealth’s quality of life and recovery,” Clore added.

Prizes will be awarded to the most successful charities on May 11, and organizations are encouraged to secure matching gifts as an incentive to encourage donations. Donors may also choose to donate to an Impact Pool that distributes funds to all eligible participating nonprofits after the event. The Central Kentucky Community Foundation in Elizabethtown is providing regional prize incentives to participating nonprofits in Hardin and eight surrounding counties.

For more information about Kentucky Gives Day, visit www.kygives.org.