More than 14,750 Arkansans gave nearly $4.1 million to 600 Arkansas charities for the Arkansas Gives event hosted by the Arkansas Community Foundation.
With the addition of bonus dollars and prizes provided by the Community Foundation and First Security Bank, the nonprofits will receive nearly $4.5 million total.
The nonprofit organizations received bonus funds based on the amount they raised from donors and competition with the other nonprofits in the same size category.
“I am blown away by the generosity of the people of our state,” said Heather Larkin, Community Foundation CEO. “When we set the ambitious goal of $4 million we dreamed that it would be met, but the people of Arkansas made our dream a reality.”
Larkin said that the intent was never for Arkansas Gives to become an annual event, but with the success it has had for these two years there will be “a lot of pressure to do it again.” If the Community Foundation decides to bring it back for a third year, Larkin said they would emphasize getting more corporate sponsorships and business involvement. This year’s event partners were First Security Bank, AT&T and various media outlets.
In 2015, Arkansas Gives raised a little over $2 million, including prize and bonus money, for the participating nonprofits.
“We had more nonprofits participate this year, the number was up quite a bit and people just got it more this year,” Larkin said. “Last year it was a little fuzzy. After the success of last year, the nonprofits and the donors all understood the power of coming together in one day and making a difference. We’ve got so many wonderful, generous people in Arkansas.”
Larkin said that although participants would already give to one or more of the nonprofits, many choose to make a bigger donation on the day of the Arkansas Gives event in order to help a certain charity out in the standings for the competition.
“A lot of people make their gifts that day they’d make anyway,” Larkin said. “But some nonprofits say they got 40 new donors they can engage with which is huge for a nonprofit.”
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