Davis, Turnquist: Midlands Gives makes it easy for everybody to be a philanthropist

Take a minute to consider the impact that philanthropic work plays in our society — the billions of dollars donated every year, the programs and services to benefit the less fortunate, the lives changed. Through philanthropy, we connect individuals to causes and to each other. We foster civic participation and improve the quality of life for all people.

On Tuesday, Central Carolina Community Foundation, which connects charitable individuals and businesses with nonprofits that serve our community, will present the region’s second day of giving. During this 24-hour online giving challenge, Midlands Gives will bring our region together as one community by raising money and awareness for 251 nonprofits. Last year, we asked our community to embrace the campaign, and you responded beyond our wildest dreams: More than $704,000 was raised for 150 local charities in our 11-county area. The impact, however, was far greater than the dollars raised.

One of the greatest challenges for philanthropy today is the very term itself — philanthropy. Although the word means “love of mankind,” most people associate it with wealthy individuals writing big checks. Midlands Gives is helping change the perception by demonstrating that everyday people making gifts as small as $20, when combined, can do something extraordinary.

The campaign also arms our nonprofit organizations with the tools to sustain their fundraising efforts. Surveys show that online giving grew 14 percent in 2013 compared to 5 percent in overall giving, and 9 percent in 2014 vs. a meager 2 percent growth in overall giving. Many nonprofits are not equipped to deal with this rapidly changing fundraising environment, and Midlands Gives addresses this. Participating nonprofits receive extensive online and social media training and tools, thanks to a grant from Colonial Life. And this training was and is evident in the creative strategies that can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Last year, more than 56 percent of our donors reported that Midlands Gives was their first online giving experience, a response that spanned the decades. Many first-time donors were motivated by the opportunity to magnify their gift with the prize incentives offered by Aflac and a bonus pool provided by the John S. and James L. Knight and Lipscomb Family Foundations. Giving spiked when prizes were announced and the gifts were magnified: One $20 donation to the Elloree History Museum produced a $3,000 windfall for the organization.

The campaign also inspired pride. As a community, we realized that the power and resources to transform our region resides in our back yard and in the hands of everyday philanthropists. That is why we are now counting the hours until the clock strikes midnight on Tuesday and we launch Midlands Gives 2015.

This year’s campaign provides many opportunities for engagement, from the all-important giving online (midlandsgives.org), to supporting favorite organizations with signs and banners at our command central, (iT-oLogy at 1301 Gervais Street in Columbia). Attending one of the many gatherings hosted by nonprofit organizations across our 11-county region is also an option.

As the voice of philanthropy in the Midlands, our foundation is proud to host Midlands Gives. And, on behalf of our board of trustees and staff, we invite you to join us on May 5. Your gifts will help connect our community and make it a place we are proud to call home.

This story was originally published May 4, 2015 at 1:00 AM with the headline "Davis, Turnquist: Midlands Gives makes it easy for everybody to be a philanthropist."