The 11th Annual Kitsap Great Give
The Kitsap Great Give is a 24-hour “give-day” event that unites our community in support of the many nonprofit organizations that make Kitsap a great place to live – for all of us.
In a single day, approximately $2 million dollars will be invested by individuals, businesses, and organizations in a wide variety of causes important to them. Last year, the event generated $1.47 million from 3,188 donors through 7,140 gifts to support 364 local nonprofit organizations.
Presented by Kitsap Community Foundation and the United Way of Kitsap County, this annual community movement of generosity has resulted in more than $15 million in community support since 2014.
Why should donors participate in the Kitsap Great Give?
While we encourage individuals to give to their favorite organizations year-round, the Kitsap Great Give is a special event that celebrates and supports our community’s diverse sector of nonprofit organizations – and the many dedicated staff and volunteers who tirelessly serve the greater good of our community.
Among the more than 350 participating organizations are many on the frontline of our community who serve the most vulnerable among us, as well as provide youth development and education, care for animals, protection of wild spaces, support of enrichment activities, and promotion of community celebrations and gatherings. All are part of a vibrant community’s ecosystem and help ensure a robust quality of life in our region.
The Kitsap Great Give is bigger than any one nonprofit; on average, donors give to 2.64 organizations. More than 40% of event donors report that their gifts through the Kitsap Great Give are in addition to their regular annual giving, and many donors (43%) make a first-time gift to a new organization they hadn’t supported previously. For many participating organizations, the support provided during the Kitsap Great Give provides much critical funding for achieving their missions.
While the Kitsap Great Give provides unsurpassed impact for the entire community it is especially important for the many smaller nonprofits that participate; those not often visible to area funders. Forty-seven percent (47%) of participating organizations have no employed staff and rely solely on volunteers for their operations. One-in-three gifts are given to organizations serving basic human needs for those who are most vulnerable in our community.
Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, donor support is amplified. Not only do sponsors make the event possible by helping to underwrite the event expenses, they also provide funds to support a 5% bonus gift for all gifts made and a “prize pool” that offers fun incentive challenges to encourage donor participation and benefit nonprofit organizations.
The Kitsap Great Give is not only effective, it is efficient. The “cost to raise a dollar” of the Kitsap Great Give is $0.12, far less than the average of $0.50 for most other special event fundraising. Widespread community support helps make that happen, ensuring that the event remains viable – and available – for the benefit of hundreds of nonprofit organizations who depend on it.
Our gratitude extends to everyone who has supported our community and local nonprofits over the past decade during the Kitsap Great Give and to those who will give in the years to come. Your heartfelt giving and lasting impact are deeply appreciated. Thank you for your unwavering support.
So how exactly does it work?
The Kitsap Great Give is our community’s annual day of giving. For 24 hours on Tuesday, April 16 – from 12:00am to 11:59pm – anyone, from anywhere, can go to KitsapGreatGive.org and review the profiles of more than 350 local nonprofits registered for the event. All participating nonprofits are 501(c)(3) charities based in or serving Kitsap or surrounding areas (e.g., Belfair and Gig Harbor). The website allows donors to search organizations by name or category, location, annual revenue, BIPOC leadership, and BIPOC serving so that you can find causes you care about and donate to as many of them as you would like – all in a single transaction! The minimum donation is $10; there is no maximum, and all donations qualify as fully tax-deductible as allowable by law. Best of all, it is totally free for local nonprofits to participate!
If, for some reason, individuals can’t join us on April 16, they can donate right now! The special KitsapGreatGive.org website opened on April 1 for “Early Giving” to help all the participating nonprofits raise even more funds and support the important work they do. Donors may also complete and return the enclosed donation form (page 11). Should a donor wish to make a gift of stock, they can call (360) 698-3622. Kitsap Community Foundation will process the donation right away. On April 16 everyone can go to KitsapGreatGive.org and track how their favorite nonprofits are doing via the event Leaderboard, which tracks a running total of the online giving results in real-time.
Communities are stronger when everyone bands together. Please join with your neighbors us to make April 16 the biggest day of collective giving Kitsap has ever seen – where every donor matters and every gift makes a difference.