The fact that the America’s Giving Challenge is drawing to a close did not deter the W.K. Kellogg Foundation from making a last-minute donation to mobilize participation, in the form of a $75,000 grant.
The Challenge, a national online competition awarding $50,000 to the participating cause that receives the most donations, lasts until November 6 and has already generated 55,850 donations and more than $1.1 million dollars.
"America’s Giving Challenge offers a tremendous opportunity to raise funds and awareness for nonprofit organizations at a time when the communities we care about, including children and families, have never been in greater need of their services," said Anne Mosle, vice president for programs at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
The grant from the Kellogg Foundation will raise the prize money to $245,000 by creating five additional awards, bringing the total number of awards up to 12 – one $50,000 prize, two $25,000 prizes, nine $10,000 prizes, and three daily awards of $1,500, $1,000 and $500.
The challenge is fueled in part by the growing popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook, as it operates exclusively through the "causes" application on that website. Challenge participants can create a cause on Facebook, donate to other causes, and encourage their Facebook friends to donate as well.
"We hope that collaborating with our colleagues in these efforts will not only encourage more innovation by all the participants in their fundraising efforts, but ultimately spark a larger movement of nonprofits leveraging technology to reach new audiences and inspire civic action," said Mosle.
America’s Giving Challenge exemplifies the potential of social networking and other social media platforms to build awareness and support for nonprofit causes, a trend that has been growing in popularity, according to a recent study from Sage.
