About the Giving Challenge

Presented by the Case Foundation, Causes and PARADE Publications, America’s Giving Challenge was a 30-day, national competition that encouraged people to leverage their online and offline social networks to help recruit supporters and win cash awards for the causes they care most about. Participants in America’s Giving Challenge competed for daily and overall awards funded by the Case Foundation totalling $245,000*. Awards were based on the number of donations generated for their cause, not dollars raised. 

How it Worked… 

• America’s Giving Challenge kicked off online on Oct. 7, 2009 at 3PM ET and closed on Nov. 6, 2009 at 3PM ET.
• Giving Challenge participants had the opportunity to compete for daily and overall awards – ranging from $500 to $50,000 – based on the number of donations to their cause. The minimum donation an individual could give is $10.
• The Causes on Facebook application is the technology platform for the Giving Challenge. Nonprofit organizations and individuals who wished to raise money by becoming a “cause champion” had the opportunity to leverage their existing presence on Facebook or create a new cause to participate.
• Anyone was able to donate to a Giving Challenge cause – Facebook membership is not required. 

How could people participate?

• Go to americasgivingchallenge.com to get started.
• For more information, check out the Frequently Asked Questions.
• For tips on how to maximize your efforts, download the Survival Guide.

Why a Giving Challenge?

• In today’s economic climate, charitable giving has decreased while the need for the services of nonprofit organizations continues to rise. America’s Giving Challenge has a track record of empowering passionate individuals and nonprofits to raise awareness, dollars and supporters by leveraging the power of “small-dollar philanthropy.”
• While nonprofits are increasingly turning to social media, most are struggling to effectively navigate the rapidly changing online environment and implement tactics that make a significant impact for their organization. America’s Giving Challenge was designed to help nonprofits utilize social networking and social media in a more strategic way to engage supporters for their causes.
• During the month leading up to the Challenge, the Case Foundation helped nonprofits and individuals “Gear Up for Giving” with a series of free online social media training sessions and resources from around the web. America’s Giving Challenge gave participants an opportunity to put what they learned to practice right away.

The 2007-2008 Giving Challenge…

• Gave new significance to the power of individual donors and small donations, with 81,000 donations that totaled more than $1.8 million. In total, more than $2.5 million was directed to nearly 700 nonprofits.
• Showed the collective impact that individual donors can make on a small nonprofit. Eleven of the sixteen champions were for causes with annual organizational budgets of less than $1 million.
• Introduced emerging social networking technologies to thousands of nonprofit organizations and passionate individuals, demonstrating the power of these technologies to significantly increase the number of supporters and donors. 
• For more information about last year’s Giving Challenge, read our Assessment and Reflection Report.

*The Aspen Institute's Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation has contributed $20,000, enabling the creation of the $500 daily awards, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has contributed $75,000 towards the creation of 12 additional awards.