Minnesota’s “Give to the Max Day” Returns on Nov. 16

(Click on the mp3 above to hear an interview with Dana Nelson - executive director of GiveMN.)

Minnesota’s nonprofit organizations ask Minnesotans to give to their favorite charities at GiveMN.org during the third annual “Give to the Max Day” on Nov. 16, with hopes of raising as much money as possible for nonprofit organizations in 24 hours (starting at midnight on Nov. 16 through midnight on Nov. 17).

GiveMN has raised more than $33 million for more than 5,000 nonprofits since its 2009 debut. Last year’s Give to the Max Day was once again one of the most successful one-day online fundraising drives in history, engaging more Minnesotans in nonprofit giving than ever before. Give to the Max Day drew an astounding 42,596 donors last year. As a result, more than $10 million was raised for the 3,663 participating nonprofit organizations.

“We are proud that Minnesotans come together on this giving holiday to show their support for the nonprofit and education institutions that work within our communities.” said Dana Nelson, executive director of GiveMN.org. “Minnesota is truly a leader in giving, and Give to the Max Day has shown our unparalleled generosity to the world. The success of Give to the Max Day has spurred other similar giving days across the country to benefit even more communities.”

“We were so appreciative of the generosity alumni, parents, and friends of the college displayed during Give to the Max Day last year,” said Tracy Fossum, director of annual giving of St. Olaf College, a first-place grant winner in 2010. “Give to the Max Day resulted in the single most successful day in annual giving at St. Olaf, and we are thrilled to be participating again in 2011.”

At GiveMN, Minnesota nonprofits can showcase their work and introduce their organizations to potential donors. Customized profiles of Minnesota charities detail their individual missions, programs and events. The site also allows donors to manage their charitable giving by recording online contributions and storing receipts.

“Give to the Max Day has been a powerful channel for us to raise money to provide more service dogs for people with physical disabilities,” said Pam Anderson, director of development, Helping Paws. “As a small nonprofit organization, we have found online tools to be a very effective method to reach our donors. We are excited there is a new leaderboard this year focused specifically on small nonprofit organizations, which will reward the excellent work of Minnesota’s smaller charities.”

GiveMN is powered by Razoo, a critical partner in making Give to the Max Day a success. Razoo offers a secure platform, streamlined donation process and a suite of free and easy-to-use fundraising tools that inspire individuals and nonprofits to give and fundraise online.

About GiveMN
GiveMN is a collaborative venture to transform philanthropy in Minnesota by growing overall giving and moving more of it online. GiveMN is an independent 501(c) (3) organization that is a supporting organization of the Minnesota Community Foundation. Many partners shaped GiveMN to build upon Minnesota’s strong tradition of philanthropy, including: ADC, Blandin Foundation, The Otto Bremer Foundation, the Bush Foundation, Central Minnesota Community Foundation, Ecolab Foundation, F.R. Bigelow Foundation, General Mills, Inc., Greater Twin Cities United Way, HealthPartners, Initiative Foundation, The Minneapolis Foundation, The Mosaic Company, Northland Foundation, Northwest
Minnesota Foundation, The Saint Paul Foundation, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, Southwest Initiative Foundation, Target, UCare, West Central Initiative Foundation and Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. For more information, visit www.GiveMN.org.