The GoodGiving Guide Challenge wrapped up its 2016 campaign at the end of December with more than $1.6 million in contributions for 120 nonprofit organizations serving Central and Eastern Kentucky.
The Challenge, a collaboration of Blue Grass Community Foundation and Smiley Pete Publishing, is an online giving campaign held annually during the month of December to highlight the work of local nonprofits and encourage charitable giving. Since its inception in 2010, the Challenge has raised more than $6.6 million for Central and Eastern Kentucky charities. The 2016 Challenge ran from November 29 through December 31.
The $1.6 million was contributed by 3,948 unique donors through a total of 6,330 separate gifts, and the average donation amount was $167. Although the Challenge benefits local causes, donations were received from 46 states and eight countries, including Israel, Japan and the United Arab Emirates.
During the challenge, nonprofits also competed for more than $350,000 in prizes made possible by the Blue Grass Community Foundation and its partners and supporters.
“Once again, our Co-Challengers Pool awarded a total of $100,000 in endowment grant prizes of $5,000 each to nonprofits that performed exceptionally well in the Challenge, based on number of donors and dollars raised,” said Lisa Adkins, president/CEO of Blue Grass Community Foundation, in a release announcing the campaign results.
Adkins added that endowments are permanent charitable funds that continue to support an organization in perpetuity.