Jason's Fall Nonprofit Forecast

Microgiving Your Way Through Rough Times
Even small donations can make a huge difference

+ Can you feel it? Apprehension is in the air and with each day I feel an uptick in societal uncertainty and acrimony.

+ The current economic climate of high energy prices, deflating home values, and as violatile of a financial market as many have ever seen, can be described, at least by this Community Shareholder, as a perfect storm for the nonprofit sector as we begin a fall to remember.

+ Why does that matter? Remember Shareholders, bad economic times affect us all. The real kicker though is that those who are the most affected are often those who can afford it least. Unless we maintain our support in good times and bad we're in for a harsh winter.

+ Many of our most successful community programs are dependant upon transportation to continue delivering. The Denver Hospice and Project Angel Heart are two that have seen expenses jump through the roof.

+ Rocky Mountain Alley Cats Alliance exceeded their yearly fuel budget at the beginning of July and Indigo Mountain Nature Center has seen a 40% increase in the number of animals needing rescue.

+ Where do we go from here? It's easy to think that this situation is out of our collective control, but that couldn't be further from the truth. You can't control the stock market or the price of gas, but you can control your actions and your attitude and that means a lot when multiplied by togetherness.

+ The best way out of this hole is to stop digging, and fair-weather philanthropy doesn't help the community to stop digging.

+ In the world of community services, Microgiving is the hot new fundraising method. It's based on the concept that we can do more together than we can alone. You see examples of it every day when you look at the yellow wristbands of those united to fight cancer. Over 70 million of those puppies have been sold in 4 years for $1 a piece.

+ What is it? It's simple - incremental giving makes a monumental difference and Community Shares is proof positve of this. Last year, Community Shares raised over $1.5 million for the community. All of this was with an average donation of less than a dollar a day. That's some serious community-rallying!

+ A simple donation of $5 a paycheck adds up to a heck of a lot when multiplied annually and combined with your friends, family, and co-workers. Microgiving typically allows participants to give 40% more than through a one-time gift and quite simply, it allows you to give easily in a tougher economic climate and doesn't force you to make a sacrifice outside of your means.

+ But, we ALL need to throw in. Give up a latte a week -- that's all we're asking.

+ Microgiving feels new and is definitely an exciting trend, but the truth is that it has been around for nearly a century. This fall workplace giving campaigns all over Colorado will kick off. Workplace giving is one of the original forms of Microgiving.

+ Hey, the message ain't pretty, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Times are tough and without you many of our nonprofits and community programs are in for a hard 4th quarter. Can you handle the truth?

+ We're looking at an uphill climb from here and our mood as a community dictates our success in moving forward.Think before acting, breathe before snapping, and be good to your fellow Shareholders. Let's put on the rally cap and make this a season of giving we'll remember for all the right reasons!

+ You can make the difference when it counts most.

Shareholder Jason Manke
Communications Manager