Arizona Gives Day 2019 raises record-breaking amount for nonprofits

Arizona Gives Day 2019, a 24-hour, online giving campaign encouraging philanthropy, raised a record total for Arizona nonprofit organizations statewide.

This year, Arizonans donated more than $3.6 million to 650 nonprofits.

“Arizona Gives Day brings awareness to the nonprofit sector,” Jennifer Purcell, Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits director of community engagement, said. “I don’t think people realize how many nonprofits are at work behind the scenes… helping with all sorts of issues and challenges that we face. A lot of times it’s a nonprofit that is helping to correct or fix or make those issues go away or help make those challenges a positive in our community.”

Arizona Gives Day, hosted by the Alliance for Arizona Nonprofits and Arizona Grantmakers Forum and presented by FirstBank, strives to improve the state through the power of collective giving.

Since its founding in 2013, the day has helped raise more than $17 million for the nonprofit sector.

“It’s refreshing to see so many donors care about our state and care about, or have a passion about, a particular interest or area or cause,” Purcell said. “Their faithfulness in supporting those efforts, I think that’s a little bit surprising but … more refreshing.”

According to Purcell, Arizona Gives Day can often make the livelihood of a nonprofit bringing in the majority of some organizations’ annual budgets. It also gives the nonprofits the opportunity to raise awareness about their work and connect with new donors.

“As a small, very rural nonprofit, this is a huge event for us, and one of our biggest fund and friend-raising opportunities of the year. It not only helps us generate dollars for need-based scholarships for the students of Northland Pioneer College (NPC) but also helps us share the very important story of the work all nonprofits do,” NPC’s Betsyann Wilson said.

“Hearing about the nonprofit and how they’re using the funds. How the funds are going to benefit their clients and who receives those benefits…is the most empowering,” Purcell said.

Donations to nonprofits are accepted year-round on AZGives.org.