giving hearts day

What is Giving Hearts Day?

The sixth annual Giving Hearts Day on Feb. 14, 2013, is expected to continue a tradition as a record-breaking fundraising phenomenon – one day in North Dakota and western Minnesota dedicated to inspiring online donations for charities. All donations are made here at impactgiveback.org.
 

Giving Hearts Day was started in 2008 by Dakota Medical Foundation and Impact Foundation as the first one-day ‘virtual’ fundraising event of its kind anywhere in the region.

On February 14, 2012, gifts totaling $1.6 million in over 10,850 individual donations for 140 charities were received in the 24-hour period.


History of Fundraising Success

Giving Hearts Day raised $325,000 for local charities in 2008, its first year. Donations topped the million-dollar mark in 2011, and increased a staggering 40% in 2012.
 

Donors can easily give on Giving Hearts Day with just a few minutes of time, without regard to the weather or need to attend an event. The 24-hour window creates urgency that spurs people to action.

2012 Expansion

In 2012, Giving Hearts Day reached the Bismarck area, with 10 organizations taking part. While Giving Hearts Day is regional, donations come from across the United States.
 

All 177 charities expected to take part in Giving Hearts Day 2013 are gearing up their requests for donations on February 14. With many organizations sending postcards, emails, Facebook and Twitter messages, there is strong public awareness for the day. For any single organization, the cost is minimal, but the combined effect of all these messages is powerful in the region. DMF and Impact also mount a marketing campaign for the day in major North Dakota cities.

Matching Funds Provided

DMF or, in some cases, community donors match gifts of $10 or greater up to at least $4,000 to each charity. DMF also awards incentives that include $15,000 to the charity with the highest donations, $10,000 for the second, all the way to $500 for the tenth. Other $500 grants are awarded for the most creative marketing strategy, donations from the most people, best use of social media, and donations from the most North Dakota cities and the most states.
 

Since its start, nearly $6.3 million has been raised through impactgiveback.org and matching funds/incentives on Giving Hearts days. Each donation is tax-deductible and enables an e-card to be sent to a friend or family member letting them know a donation has been made in their honor.
 

All organizations soliciting for Giving Hearts Day have met participation requirements, including attendance at Impact Foundation fundraising training and commitment to other minimum performance and accountability standards.

Giving Hearts Day 2013

On February 14, 2013, Dakota Medical and Impact Foundations will host the 6th annual Giving Hearts Day. Each year, there is a competitive application process for nonprofits to participate. Due to the limited amount of funding available, not all organizations that meet the defined criteria are invited to participate. In previous years, participation has also been limited to health-related nonprofits. In recent years, however, DMF and Impact have invited select non-health related nonprofits to participate by raising their own match funding from individuals, corporations or foundations prior to Giving Hearts Day. It is our goal to eventually be able to invite all nonprofits that meet the criteria below to participate in Giving Hearts Day.

2013 Participants

Abused Adult Resource Center
ALS Association
Altru Family YMCA
Alzheimer’s Association MN-ND
American Diabetes Association
American Gold Gymnastics
American Red Cross
Anne Carlsen Center
Bismarck Public Schools Foundation
Blessed John Paul II Catholic Schools Network
Boys and Girls Club of Detroit Lakes
Boys and Girls Club of the Red River Valley
Boy Scouts of America, Northern Lights Council
Caring for Children
Cass Clay Healthy People
Catholic Charities North Dakota
CCRI, Inc.
Central Dakota Children’s Choir
CHARISM
Churches United for the Homeless
Community of Care
Cooperstown Medical Center Foundation
Cullen Children's Foundation
Cultural Diversity Resources
CVIC
Cystic Fibrosis Association of ND
Domestic Violence Crisis Center
Elks Camp Grassick
Emergency Food Pantry
Essentia Health Bridges Medical Center Foundation
Essentia Health Regional Foundation
Essentia Health St. Mary’s Foundation
Family HealthCare
Family Voices of North Dakota
Fargo Moorhead Coalition for Homeless Persons
Fargo Public Schools Development Foundation
Fargo-Moorhead Dorothy Day House of Hospitality
Fargo-Moorhead Opera
First Care Health Center
First Care Medical Services Foundation – Fosston
FirstChoice Clinic
FirstLink
Fraser, Ltd.
Freedom Resource Center
Gateway to Science Center, Inc.
Grand Forks Parks and Recreation Foundation
Grand Forks Senior Citizens Center
Great Plains Food Bank
Haley’s Hope
HEART
HERO, Healthcare Equipment Recycling Organization
Hillsboro Medical Center Foundation
HOPE, Inc.
Hospice of the Red River Valley
Hostfest Hertitage Foundation
Humane Society Fargo Moorhead
Jail Chaplains
Jeremiah Program
Kalix
Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity
Lakeland Hospice Foundation
Lakes Crisis and Resource Center
Legacy Children’s Foundation
Lend A Hand
Lost and Found Ministry
Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd – New Rockford
Lutheran Social Services of ND
Make-A-Wish North Dakota
March of Dimes Foundation
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minot Public Schools Foundation
ND 4-H Foundation
North Dakota State University Department of Nursing
Nelson County Health Services Foundation
New Life Center
Nokomis of the Village Family Service Center
North Dakota Autism Center
North Dakota Family Alliance
North Dakota Safety Council
North Dakota State College of Science Foundation
North Dakota Teen Challenge
North Dakota Women’s Network
Northern Plains Dance
Northland Christian Counseling Center
Northlands Rescue Mission
Northwood Deaconess Health Center
Oak Grove Lutheran School
Outdoor Adventure Foundation
Park Christian School
Plains Art Museum
Prairie Harvest Mental Health
Prairie Learning Center
PULSE Outreach
Rape and Abuse Crisis Center
Red River Children’s Advocacy Center
Red River Valley Dental Access Project
Red River Youth for Christ
Red River Zoo
Riding on Angels’ Wings
Riverside Christian School
RiverView Health Foundation
Ronald McDonald House Charities – Bismarck
Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley
Scottish Rite Children’s Language Disorder Center
Service Dogs for America
South Central Adult Services – Prescription Assistance Program
Special Olympics North Dakota
St. Ann's Mission
St. Gerard’s Community of Care
St. Joseph’s School
The Perry Center
Theatre B
Third Street Clinic
TNT Kid’s Fitness
Trollwood Performing Arts School
University of North Dakota College of Nursing
Unseen Ministries
Valley Christian Counseling Center
YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties
Youthworks
YWCA Cass Clay
YWCA Minot

Fund Participants
3 BOYS Fund
ACE Fund
Al and Sharon Carlson Family Fund
Doug Anderson Family Fund
Dr. Lance & Ruth Bergstrom Family Fund
Doug Burgum Family Fund
Katherine Kilbourne Burgum Fund
Casselton Community Medical Foundation
Charitable Champions Fund
Jayant and Rohinee Damle Family Fund
Kid’s Health Fund
Mission Physician Fund
E and S Fund
Dr. David & Janice Glatt Family Fund
God’s Work Fund
Stephanie Goetz Charitable Fund
Goldmark Fund
Phil and Dianna Hansen Family Fund
Hauge Memorial Fund
Impact Institute Fund
Dr. Walter & Renee Johnson Family Fund
Doug and Sally Larsen Family Fund
M. Donald Larsen Family Fund
Larry and Julie Leitner Family Fund
Dr. Susan Mathison & Steven Johnson Family Fund
Dr. Kevin & Jean Melicher Family  Endowment Fund
Christine Butler Mullen Foundation for Children
Dr. Fadel and Heidi Nammour Family Fund
Norberg Family Fund
ND Academy of Family Physicians Foundation Fund
Mark E. and Trish Paulson Family Fund
Prairie St. John’s Mental Health Endowment Fund
Joining Hands for Kids Fund (Region V CSCC)
Kevin and Courtney Ritterman Family Fund
Robert G. Rogers, MD Scholarship Fund
Rust Sales, Inc. Endowment Fund
Sinner Bresnahan Healthy Kids Initiative Fund
Michael & Charleen Solberg Family Fund
Pam Solseng Ovarian Cancer Endowment Fund
Swanson Health Products Healthy Community Fund
Mack V. Traynor, MD Family Endowment Fund
Robert and JoAnn Vollrath Family Fund
Jon and Lori Wanzek Family Fund
Whitney Fund
Drs. Hope Yongsmith and Christian Albano Family Fund
Alex Stern Family Foundation Fund
Angels Youth Hockey Charitable Fund
Cando Connection Fund
Clubs Fore Kids Fund
David and Mary E. Gibb Youth Golf Fund
Dakota Certified Development Fund
Diva Connection Foundation Fund
Fill The Dome Fund
POWER Fund
Spirit of Fargo Fund
Support Our Veterans Fund
TEDxFargo Fund


In 2013, nonprofits were selected to participate based upon the following criteria:

1.     Organization must be a High Impact Nonprofit (see www.impactgiveback.org keyword - Impact Nonprofit):

a.     The nonprofit organization has a strategic and/or operating plan(s).

b.    The strategic and/or operating plan(s) include measures and achievements that are reviewed by the Board of Directors at least annually.

c.     The Executive Director’s performance is reviewed annually.

d.    The organizational budget is approved by the Board of Directors annually.

e.     An independent financial audit is performed yearly and is available for public inspection, or an independent financial audit is not performed yearly, but financials are reviewed by the board regularly.

2.     Organization must have a significant local presence (i.e., physical office); active programming within North Dakota or western Minnesota, local governing control, and attest that 100% of the money raised will be used locally.

3.     Organization must have at least one full-time paid staff position.

4.     Organization must be a 501(c)(3) IRS tax-exempt organization.

5.     Organization must have actively participated in Impact Institute High Impact Fundraising training (4-day or 1-day training program).

6.     Organization must have an annual operating budget of $100,000 or more.

7.     Organization must have a current one-year premium membership on www.impactgiveback.org.

8.     If a previous participant in Giving Hearts Day, the nonprofit must have raised a minimum of $2,500.

9.     Organizations must be invited to complete a brief Giving Hearts Day application and submit the application by the deadline, with the Board of Directors of each organization confirming to DMF and Impact that their organization is operated in an ethical, sound and efficient manner.