Giving Tuesday is a global initiative intended to inspire people to give back locally.
Each year it is recognized the first week after Thanksgiving and the popular shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday as a way to kick off the charitable season.
With help from funding from the Lilly Endowment, a private Indianapolis-based philanthropic foundation, there are a few different ways that community members can maximize their donations.
Marshall County Community Foundation Executive Director Linda Yoder highlighted one opportunity that will allow donors to triple the value of their contribution to Community Funds.
She explained, “Gift VII is an opportunity for our donors to get a 2-for-1 match on contributions to unrestricted funds.”
The way that the 2-to-1 match works is for every $1 donated to the Foundation’s Community Funds, a $2 match will be provided. For example a $100 gift would be matched with $200, resulting in a total contribution of $300.
Director Yoder touched on how those funds go right back into the community.
She shared, “That helps us build those funds that support competitive grants to non-profits organizations serving Marshall County.” Yoder continued, “So the larger that pool of funds grows, the more we’re able to support a lot of good work in Marshall County.”
Earlier this year, the MCCF provided two rounds of grants to several local organizations that assist the community in some way. Combining the spring and fall grant amounts, more than $237,650 was awarded in 2019 alone!
Yoder also mentioned another Lilly-funded matching opportunity, specifically targeted at replenishing the Foundation’s funding so they’re able to funnel it back into the County and provide financial assistance for certain types of community projects.
She added, “We’re also doing a 1-to-2 match for some items that are related to the building projects. So it helps us build back our capacity to be able to support similar types of community projects.”
If you have any questions about these opportunities or other ways you can give back, contact the Marshall County Community Foundation at 574-935-5159.
