Donors Forum has kicked off #ILGiveBig, a first-of-its kind effort in Illinois that will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners — nonprofits, families, businesses, and individuals — to transform how people think about, talk about, and participate in the giving season. Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #ILGiveBig will inspire Illinois residents to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, invest in causes that matter to them, and help create a better world.

 

Taking place December 2, 2014 — the Tuesday after Thanksgiving — #ILGiveBig will harness the power of social media to create a state-wide movement around the holidays dedicated to giving — similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are  synonymous with holiday shopping.

 

Inspired by the national giving day movement #GivingTuesday
Seeing an opportunity to take the national #GivingTuesday movement and channel the generous spirit of the holiday season to inspire action around charitable giving, a group of friends and partners, led by the Donors Forum, came together to find ways to promote and celebrate the great American tradition of giving in Illinois. Donors Forum will be providing social sector organizations with tools, technical assistance, and support to hone their fundraising strategies for the day.

 

With help from The Coleman Foundation and other founding partners, Donors Forum hopes to see organizations from all over the state join the movement and provide creative ways for people in Illinois to embrace #ILGiveBig and collaborate in their giving efforts to create more meaningful results.

 

“It’s been a privilege to work with remarkable leaders all over the state and country building a movement around #ILGiveBig,” said Eric Weinheimer, Donors Forum’s President and CEO, “We are excited to help spur more individual giving with our communities across the state.”  

 

“More than 70% of charitable contributions are made not by foundations, like the Coleman Foundation, but by individuals who sustain non-profit organizations across our state,” said Clark McCain, Senior Program Officer at The Coleman Foundation. “We look to #ILGiveBig to catalyze non-profits to develop relationships with more donors of the digital age — and to motivate residents of Illinois to connect with the organizations that deliver on their passions," he added.

 

As of November 5, more than 311 corporate and nonprofit organizations have committed to participate in the initiative.

 

“Giving days like these are also a response to the financial reality of being a nonprofit in Illinois,” Weinheimer added, “They’ve been bounced from fiscal cliff to fiscal cliff but never stopped caring for our communities. #ILGiveBig is a way for all of us to give back.”

 

— Delia Coleman, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Donors Forum