Following a week-long community fundraising effort that launched on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 1, preliminary numbers show that the 2020 GoodGiving Challenge raised a total of $2.39 million to benefit 126 local nonprofits.
Hosted by Blue Grass Community Foundation (BGCF) and Smiley Pete Publishing, the GoodGiving Challenge connects charitable individuals with Central Kentucky nonprofits by providing a convenient online giving platform at www.BGgives.org. While matching funds are no longer available, the giving portal remains open through the end of the year for additional donations.
Since its inception in 2011, the GoodGiving Challenge has raised more than $14 million. Last year, the Challenge raised $1.68 million for 131 local nonprofits through more than 7,900 gifts made. This year’s numbers show not only a 30 percent increase in funds raised, but also an increase in number of gifts made, with 13,700 total donations.
Lisa Adkins
“At Blue Grass Community Foundation, building greater community generosity is central to what we do,” said Blue Grass Community Foundation President/CEO Lisa Adkins. “We’re gratified by the community’s response, particularly in the midst of a pandemic. We know the needs are acute right now and appreciate local givers rising to the occasion. Of course we couldn’t do this without our funding partners, who made giving through the challenge so fun and rewarding.”
“Raising almost $2.4 million in seven days is an amazing capstone to a challenging year,” added Lauren Parsons, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Communications at BGCF. “Nonprofits have been working harder than ever to make our community great, and we’re so pleased that the community rallied in support of them to make the 2020 GoodGiving such a successful fundraising event.”
Local nonprofits also look to the annual GoodGiving Challenge for much-needed resources, and are appreciative of the community’s support.
“We love the concept of the GoodGiving Challenge and are so grateful for the opportunity to participate this year,” said Allie Barnett, executive director of Justin’s Place. “We are a new nonprofit and feel extremely blessed to have raised our full operating budget through the challenge in just one week! We look forward to serving more children and growing our services in 2021.”
"We are a new nonprofit and feel extremely blessed to have raised our full operating budget through the challenge in just one week!" —Allie Barnett, executive director of Justin’s Place
The 2020 GoodGiving Challenge featured over $600,000 in matching prizes that increased gifts by as much as 50 to 100 percent. Each day of the Challenge offered opportunities to amplify gifts with matches and prizes, offered by the following sponsors:
- Clark County Community Foundation at BGCF - $250,000
- Murry Foundation - $100,000
- Marksbury Family Foundation - $60,000
- Mitchell Family Foundation at BGCF - $50,000
- Blue Grass Community Foundation (BGCF) - $30,000
- Thomson R. Bryant Jr. & Betty R. Bryant Fund at BGCF - $25,000
- MacAdam Family Foundation at BGCF - $25,000
- Knight Foundation Donor Advised Fund at BGCF - $25,000
- Total Wine & More - $23,000
- Hudson-Ellis Fund at BGCF - $20,000
- West Sixth Brewing - $5,000
- Edith D. Gardner Charitable Fund at BGCF