The Pittsburgh Foundation

Give Big Pittsburgh cmpaign announced by Pittsburgh Magazine and The Pittsburgh Foundation

Nonprofits have until July 28 to sign up for a training session

PITTSBURGH, July 18, 2017 – Pittsburgh Magazine, in partnership with The Pittsburgh Foundation, introduces #GiveBigPittsburgh, a new regional fundraising initiative designed to spark Pittsburgh’s charitable spirit. The new #GiveBigPittsburgh initiative replaces the Foundation’s Day of Giving event.

#GiveBigPittsburgh will launch on Tuesday, Nov. 28, designated nationally as Giving Tuesday, and continues through Sunday, Dec. 31. The public will be able to support participating nonprofits through the www.givebigpittsburgh.com website. To participate, nonprofits must establish a profile by Oct. 24 at https://www.givebigpittsburgh.com/register. Pittsburgh Magazine will host an Aug. 3 training session for participating nonprofits at The Pittsburgh Foundation’s offices. Registration details are listed below.

#GiveBigPittsburgh creates a platform and tool for thousands of local nonprofits to reach out to prospective donors, empowering them to personally support their communities. Through a collective promotional effort, the campaign will maximize resources at nonprofits and capitalize on the rise of online giving and crowd funding.

#GiveBigPittsburgh continues a tradition of collective “giving days” started by The Pittsburgh Foundation in 2009. The Foundation’s seven Day of Giving events have raised $39 million for local nonprofits through the years of the program. By partnering with Pittsburgh Magazine for #GiveBigPittsburgh, the Foundation is transitioning away from its Day of Giving events that benefit Allegheny County nonprofits.

“When we first began Day of Giving in 2009, our goals were to organize and further energize the tremendous generosity that Pittsburghers are known for nationally,” said Maxwell King, the Foundation’s president and CEO. “When the popularity of the event outstripped our ability to supply dollar-for-dollar matching, we shifted to provide nonprofits with the tools they need to successfully conduct their own online giving campaigns.” Now, nonprofits understand how to harness the power of online fundraising, said King, “and we are pleased to be able to help them continue to take advantage of it by passing the Giving Day baton to Pittsburgh Magazine.”

The Foundation will serve as a presenting sponsor and partner in the management of the inaugural #GiveBigPittsburgh for this transition year, King said, especially in sharing its experience hosting online giving events. Meanwhile, the Foundation will continue to lead periodic Critical Needs Alerts, which from 2013 to 2017 have raised $3.8 million for organizations that address basic needs such as food and housing insecurity, child care, health care and transportation.

As a presenting sponsor, the Foundation is granting $50,000 for a prize pool and staff support. Also contributing is the Foundation’s affiliate, The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County, which is adding $25,000 earmarked for Westmoreland nonprofits. Prizes will be awarded to participants based on their success in various categories.

Pittsburgh Magazine’s involvement builds on its new publication, Give Pittsburgh, as well as its tradition of promoting worthy causes and supporting the community. The magazine will build awareness about #GiveBigPittsburgh through its print, digital and event channels to increase donations and create a way for nonprofits to tell their stories and build their brands.

“Pittsburgh Magazine will help participating nonprofits reach an audience of engaged citizens and opinion leaders who may become potential donors and supporters,” said Betsy Benson, publisher & vice president of Pittsburgh Magazine. “The campaign is part of the Magazine’s ongoing work to highlight the nonprofit sector and giving community.”

The Magazine and the Foundation have partnered with GiveGab, an Ithaca, N.Y.-based company, to provide the giving platform as well as strategic training and tools to assist nonprofits in raising funds. GiveGab was selected based on its track record  managing similar campaigns and its tripleredundancy server security plan. GiveGab will monitor all aspects of the platform for the duration of the campaign.

Nonprofit training session to take place Aug. 3:  On Thursday, Aug. 3, from 3 to 5 p.m., Pittsburgh Magazine will host an educational session at The Pittsburgh Foundation’s downtown offices. Space is limited; please confirm your attendance at www.pittsburghmagazine.com/givebig.

“Nonprofits must establish a new #GiveBigPittsburgh profile on the GiveGab site to participate. Profiles from the PittsburghGives website will not roll over to the new GiveGab site,” said Kelly Uranker, who oversees the Foundation’s online giving events and the Center for Philanthropy. “We’ll be working very hard with Pittsburgh Magazine in the months ahead to make sure our nonprofits are well prepared to make the most of this opportunity.”

Supplemental information

What: #GiveBigPittsburgh is a digital fundraising event that connects individuals with the causes that matter to them and empowers donors to give to the local nonprofits that tackle our communities' most critical issues. #GiveBigPittsburgh raises money for our communities, brings new donors and increases awareness about local nonprofits while leveraging the national marketing of #GivingTuesday. The Pittsburgh campaign will use the #GiveBigPittsburgh hashtag.

When: #GiveBigPittsburgh 2017 begins at midnight on Nov. 28 and ends at 11:59 PM on Dec. 31, 2017. Registration for participating nonprofits must be completed by Oct. 24.

Why: Participating in #GiveBigPittsburgh is a great opportunity to capitalize on the energy of Giving Tuesday, use the momentum of #GiveBigPittsburgh to amplify year-end giving efforts, and acquire new donors and supporters who are looking to give.

The Back Story: #GiveBigPittsburgh is an initiative dedicated to bring nonprofits, businesses grant-makers and all Pittsburghers together to celebrate generosity and to give. It’s a day to unite the Pittsburgh nonprofit community, encourage the use of new tools and strategies for digital fundraising, and raise awareness of the benefits online philanthropy brings to communities.

How to Join the Campaign: To register, nonprofits should visit https://www.givebigpittsburgh.com/ and click “Register Now!”

When you register: Your organization will be listed on the participating nonprofits page on https://www.givebigpittsburgh.com. You’ll receive weekly emails full of campaign strategies, content and more to help prepare and implement your #GiveBigPittsburgh campaign. Get access to a great Nonprofit Toolkit to help you prepare and promote your campaign. You’ll be notified about our upcoming webinars on digital fundraising, #GiveBigPittsburgh campaign strategies, tutorials on the #GiveBigPittsburgh/GiveGab platform, and more. You’ll get free support from the #GiveBigPittsburgh team!

About the partners:  The Pittsburgh Foundation works to improve the quality of life in the Pittsburgh region by evaluating and addressing community issues, promoting responsible philanthropy, and connecting donors to the critical needs of the community. www.pittsburghfoundation.org 

Founded in 1969, Pittsburgh Magazine shares the stories that define our region, featuring its most fascinating people and places and encouraging residents and visitors to explore a delightful and surprising place. A leading multimedia brand, Pittsburgh Magazine has built a market reach of more than 700,000 people a year through its digital, print and event channels. For more information, go to www.pittsburghmagazine.com.

GiveGab is modern, easy-to-use software that cultivates long-term giving relationships between nonprofits and their supporters by providing robust online fundraising, donor management, supporter engagement, Giving Days, and so much more. Visit www.givegab.com for details.

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Media Contacts:  

Elise Ware
Pittsburgh Magazine
eware@pittsburghmagazine.com
412-304-0918

Doug Root
The Pittsburgh Foundation
rootd@pghfdn.org
412-394-2647