We often get the question, “Where does your money go?”
Although we are a 501(c)3 organization, it’s a myth that we receive everything as a donation. As a matter of fact, it’s getting harder and harder to get fully donated services, especially. We are a business that has expenses that we have to pay for just like any other business. To pay for our expenses, Denver Gives has three sources of income.
First Source: Membership.
Ideally, our membership of $25/year or $100/lifetime goes to our operational expenses. Although we are currently an ALL VOLUNTEER organization, we still have expenses. Phone, location, printing, supplies, event expenses, etc. These expenses, ideally, are paid for by our membership. Now, although we are not there quite yet, it is our goal for our membership to pay our operating expenses.
Second Source: Events.
Ideally, 100% of our event income will go directly towards our programs and services.
Our Charity Partnerships Committee (CPC) could have a pool of money to provide funding to one of the three charities a year we are assisting in this program to implement one or more of the committee’s recommendations. Example, if the charity feels that they want to implement the recommendation to find a grant writer to secure more grants, then Denver Gives will pay the grant writer chosen by the charity partner. Our Founding Sponsor for our Charity Partnerships Committee is Mercury Payment Systems, which provided the committee with $2,000 to give to the service providers picked by our charity partner to implement one of our recommendations. IF our events go well this year, MORE money will go directly to help the charity partners in 2011!
Our Educational Series for Small Nonprofits (ESSN) is program that requires venues, trainers, printing, and other items that require funding. The more money we raise, the larger the venue we can secure, the better the trainers we can provide to local nonprofits at NO COST to the local nonprofit.
Our Resource Development Program (RDP) will have more funding in order to provide local nonprofits with more resources, like our online Resource List, coming in April 2011, that allows local nonprofits with the ability to find needed resources in one location. Example, if a nonprofit is in need of an auditor, photographer, venue that holds 200 people, etc., they can access our online resource list for FREE and find what they are looking for, knowing that every company or individual listed has been researched by Denver Gives to be “nonprofit friendly”.
We have other programs and services that we are looking to implement in the coming years, but all need funding to make them a reality!
Third Source: Grants.
In deed this source of income is the most difficult. Because we are not a children’s charity, animal charity, disease oriented charity, etc, finding funding for what we do through grants is extremely difficult. But we are always looking for the opportunities and fortunately have just brought on a volunteer that has grant writing experience and is always looking for opportunities for us! But again, it’s hard when you do what we do. Although our programs and services are taken advantage of by animal, kids, disability, disease oriented organizations, that does not count in grant making for the most part.
We are a 501(c)3 organization and abide by and follow the IRS codes that go along with that designation. All donations to Denver Gives are tax-deductible according to the provisions and limits within the IRS code associated with 501(c)3 organizations.
You can help by becoming a member today, or attending our events. For those of you with corporate ties, helping us by promoting our sponsorships to your company would also be a huge help!
For more information, go to www.denvergives.org today!
