Bolder Giving, along with the Kevin Mossier Foundation and Forward Motion, host Give OUT Day on Thursday to mobilize and engage hundreds of organizations and people to support the LGBT community.
For 24 hours, beginning midnight EST, people can donate to the LGBT community through GiveOUTDay.org. Anyone can donate to particular groups or areas by searching a group name, keyword, city or zip code.
Executive director of Bolder Giving, Jason Franklin said this day was created to inspire people to support LGBT nonprofits as well as providing organizations a way to fundraise online. He explained that less than five percent of the LGBT community gives to LGBT nonprofits. Most of the groups participating, he said, are smaller nonprofits.
“We are already hearing from smaller groups that this is the first time they are fundraising online,” he says.
Of the 406 organizations that are registered for the day, 19 are from the Washington, D.C. area, Franklin says. This includes both locally and nationally based groups.
The Give OUT Day model is based on the GiveMN fundraising venture, which connects donors with nonprofits, foundations and schools in Minnesota through an online system. According to the website GiveMN.razoo.org, the project has raised $70 million to date for thousands of groups in Minnesota.
For those who are participating in Give OUT Day, the minimum donation is $10 and there is no maximum donation. The money will be designated for a specific LGBT nonprofit or program. Any LGBT nonprofit can participate as long as they follow the guidelines outlined on the website. If someone wants to fundraise but is not a non-profit, that person can participate as a champion, where they will fundraise on behalf of a nonprofit. Organization receiving the greatest number of unique donors can be in the running for additional prizes.
Bolder Giving is a nonprofit based in New York, dedicated to motivate people to give to a variety of causes. It launched LGBTQ Equality Initiative to inspire people to give to the LGBT community, and Give OUT Day is part of this effort. They have also set up programs for to promote environmental justice.
For additional information about the rules or to donate, visit giveout.razoo.com.