MARCH 2018 22 | 1. How did the concept of Arizona Gives Day come about? FirstBank, the main sponsor of Arizona Gives Day, is headquartered in Colorado and had been the major sponsor of their Giving Day for quite a few years. The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, a trusted resource and advocate for the nonprofit sector, and Arizona Grantmakers Forum were natural choices for starting and building this statewide program. There are many other states, regions and cities that offer giving days throughout the US. The growing availability and popularity of online giving has really sparked the growth of these types of online giving campaigns. 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT ARIZONA GIVES DAY WITH… Kristen Merrifield CEO of Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits

MARCH 2018 | 23 2. When did Arizona Gives Day begin and how has it changed since then? Arizona Gives Day began in 2013, and we are now planning the sixth Arizona Gives Day to take place on April 3, 2018. We have increased giving from around $750,000 the first year to nearly $3 million in 2017 to become Arizona’s largest online fundraising event. We have continued to expand the marketing and promotion to not only donors, but also to nonprofits, which has allowed us to grow the program to more than 1,000 participating nonprofits last year. We have also made significant changes to the technology platform over the years to make the experience as user-friendly as possible. 3. How is Arizona Gives Day cultivating a culture of giving back? Arizona Gives Day proves that anyone can be a philanthropist. Gifts of any size are encouraged and welcomed, and our donor survey continues to show that donors feel good about giving a gift on Arizona Gives Day. It also allows the community to learn about so many types of nonprofits and their missions, all in one convenient spot online. AZGives.org has evolved into an online resource and donation tool available year-round. Donors can now establish their own donor account to manage and keep track of their giving any time of the year. 4. What has been the impact of Arizona Gives Day? We have now raised $10.14 million dollars in the first five years of holding Arizona Gives Days. Arizona Gives Day has also helped many nonprofits learn more about online fundraising and utilizing social media to communicate with current and new donors. There are many nonprofits that now utilize Arizona Gives Day as their main fundraiser for the year, because it can be less expensive and labor intensive than holding large in-person events. 5. What kinds of organizations benefit from Arizona Gives Day? All kinds! Any qualified 501(c)3 organization that resides in or serves Arizonans is eligible to participate in Arizona Gives Day. We have a wide variety of organizations that participate each year — from youth, health, environment, animal, human services and everything in between. 6. Why is it important for Arizonans to give back through initiatives like Arizona Gives Day? It shows that we believe in the power of collective giving and supporting the organizations dedicated to serving our communities and the causes that touch each of our lives every day as Arizonans. We often hear incredible stories from participating organizations saying they were able to hire their first executive director or CEO or start a much- needed program with the donations they received from Arizona Gives Day. These are not only huge advances for the nonprofits, but the communities and individuals they serve as well. 7. What are the benefits of donating through Arizona Gives Day? The AZGives.org platform makes giving quick and easy. Donors can easily search for their favorite nonprofits, or learn about new nonprofits that are doing things that matter to them. They can enjoy a “shopping cart” experience, allowing them to easily make donations to multiple organizations at once. Also, donors can rest assured knowing that all participating nonprofits listed in AZGives.org are registered charities with the IRS, and the donation platform is secure to receive their donations. Donors also have the chance to help their nonprofits of choice win one of the many cash prizes by giving on Arizona Gives Day.