An insider’s guide to giving on Lowcountry Giving Day

On May 5th, several thousand donors will make gifts to hundreds of nonprofits in the Lowcountry. As a donor, how can you be most effective that day?
1) Give
Obviously, Lowcountry Giving Day is a great time to give. Give early (put a Post-it Note on your computer to remind you), as momentum early in the day will inspire others to get involved. Our minimum gift amount is $25, and all gifts are subject to a 6% fee that covers processing, credit card fees and other costs associated with putting on the event.
2) Give Often
Many nonprofit organizations have to meet substantial challenge gifts. You might be the one to push them over the top. Watch for opportunities to be a hero. Track the leaderboard during the day and look for Facebook posts, emails, or Tweets announcing important milestones.
3) Be Seen
When you make a gift, or when you see one of your favorite organizations hitting one of their milestones, tell your friends and neighbors. Include the Lowcountry Giving Day web address and our hashtag #LiftTheLowcountry in your messages so everyone can share in the excitement of the day.
4) Inspire Others
If you are giving $25,000 or more, consider creating a challenge gift before April 6th. Depending on which organization you wish to support, setting up an incentive could boost their success on May 5th. Get in touch with Monica Tanouye at Monica@coastalcommunityfoundation.org to learn more about setting up an incentive.
5) Just Give
Even if you can’t give online you can be part of the day by sending your gift stock transfer, paper check, or donor-advised fund recommendation to Coastal Community Foundation. Just as online, processing fees of 6% will apply. You can send gifts to our office at 635 Rutledge Ave, Suite 201, Charleston, SC 29403. Please note that gifts must be delivered in person, or postmarked, from April 20th – 24th to count towards participants’ incentive challenges. Get more details on how to give “offline” on our Rules page.
6) Be A Broker
If the minimum gift amount is more than you can afford, bundle gifts from several of your friends, colleagues, or co-workers into a single gift and give it online from a single credit or debit card transaction.
7) Have Fun
Watch and share the leaderboard with your friends. It refreshes automatically every minute. You will find it entertaining and indicative of the good we can do when we give together.
Any questions? Got some ideas to share? We’d love to hear from you – send us a message at GivingDay@coastalcommunityfoundation.org, and let’s chat.