Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know for Erie Gives 2024 as a donor or nonprofit!
Q. What is Erie Gives?
Erie Gives is an inspiring community-spirited event like no other! Thousands of donors from across the country - and globe - give to hundreds of local nonprofits during Erie Gives. To date, Erie Gives has raised over $56.5M for local nonprofits, thanks to the support of community & corporate sponsors and donors like you!
Q. When is Erie Gives?
Erie Gives is on August 13th, 2024 from midnight to midnight!
Q. Which nonprofits can participate?
Nonprofits must be a 501(c)(3), serve Erie County, and either be a member of The Nonprofit Partnership or have an Agency Endowment with The Erie Community Foundation to participate in Erie Gives. A Nonprofit Membership provides year-round benefits including educational opportunities, expert guidance on capacity building and a chance to participate in peer networking. The Erie Community Foundation invests in solutions that transform the lives of the individuals in our community. We hold participating organizations to the same standard, expecting that they too are groups who invest in the Erie (and surrounding) community.
Q. Who can donate?
Anyone! Donations can be made in person, sent by mail, over the phone, or online through the Erie Gives online portal. Donations to charitable nonprofit organizations are tax-deductible. Everyone can be a philanthropist with a gift of $25 or more!
Q. How many nonprofits can I give to?
If you are making a donation online, you may only give to 10 nonprofits. But, if you are giving by check, you can give to as many nonprofits as you'd like! Please note, our Check Form has 40 spaces for 40 nonprofits. If you plan to give to 40+, you will need to print out two check forms. Thank you.
Q. Can I write a check instead of giving with a credit card?
Yes! Donors can write a check for their Erie Gives donation.
Please note that no fees are taken out of check donations. Fees only apply to online donations.
All check donations are eligible for the Bonus Bucks pro-rated match, just like online donations!
Please make your check payable to The Erie Community Foundation. All check donations must be accompanied by a Check Donation Form. The Foundation will accept checks beginning July 8th. Please deliver your check to The Erie Community Foundation (459 West 6th Street, Erie, PA 16507) by Friday, August 9, 2024.
Q. What types of credit cards are accepted?
Only Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover will be accepted. Debit cards will be accepted too. Credit card gift cards will not be accepted.
Q. Is there a certain browser I should use when making a donation?
While all browsers support the Erie Gives site, GiveGab holds strict security standards, meaning that some of your favorite browsers may not process your donation fully on August 13th. We encourage you to please use Chrome or Firefox, to ensure site stability and security. If you are experience any technical difficulties, please visit Give Gab Support.
Q. Can I give using my Required Minimum Distribution?
Yes! Please speak with your financial advisor to discuss transferring your Required Minimum Distribution to your favorite nonprofits on Erie Gives. You can review our informational sheet here. We encourage you to fill out our Check Form designating which nonprofits you would like to support. If you have any questions, please email Marissa Litzenberg at MLitzenberg@ErieCommunityFoundation.org.
Q. What is GiveGab?
GiveGab specializes in Giving Days and is a nonprofit giving platform that helps nonprofits to raise money, engage donors and manage volunteers quickly and efficiently.
Q. When will I know how much the nonprofit(s) I gave to made? Will I be notified?
Preliminary results are posted instantaneously on the Erie Gives website. As soon as you make a donation you can see the nonprofits total donation received increase. The final numbers with the Bonus Bucks prorated match will be announced 4-5 weeks following Erie Gives to allow for processing and communications.
Q. If I send my check in early, can I see it be added to the total before Erie Gives?
All checks are uploaded and added to each nonprofit's totals the day-of. Totals cannot be viewed before August 13, 2024.
Q. When will the organizations receive the donations?
Nonprofits will receive their Erie Gives donations via a check from The Erie Community Foundation within a month. Please note that all numbers on the website are considered preliminary numbers until the final numbers are announced on Friday, September 8, 2024. We appreciate your patience as we will be processing thousands of checks and need the time to not have errors.
Q. How much of my donation goes to the nonprofit?
GiveGab retains a 2.5% campaign management fee from all online donations. Credit Card processing fees are an additional 2.5% + $0.30 for all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover).
You are given the option to cover the fees. If you choose this option, 100% of your online charitable gift will benefit your chosen nonprofit(s). If you choose to not cover the fees, simply uncheck the box and the nonprofit will receive a little bit less. All donations are final and cannot be refunded. Any donations processed outside of Erie Gives' donation period, through GiveGab.com, or subsequent recurring donations are subject to transaction fees outlined on the GiveGab.com pricing page: http://info.givegab.com/pricing.
Q. Is there a match this year?
Yes! In previous years, the Erie Gives Bonus Bucks Pool was promoted as the Prorated Match Pool. Thanks to generous corporate partners and a commitment of the Foundation's Board of Trustees, we have a Bonus Bucks Pool, which is an extra incentive for donors to give. On Erie Gives, donors make gifts to their favorite nonprofits via checks, online donations, stock gifts, or a required minimum distribution from an IRA. A portion of the Erie Gives Bonus Bucks - the pooled corporate sponsorship dollars - is added to each gift. For example, last year, each gift received an extra 5.5% from the $455K+ match pool.
Q. Who will receive my contact information?
The nonprofits(s) you choose to support will have access to your name and email address to send you thank you notes and updates on their work. The Erie Community Foundation will also have your contact information, but your credit card information is
NEVER stored.
Q. Do I need to create an account with GiveGab?
No. You do not need to create an account to make a donation. The benefits of creating an account include having your tax receipts collected in one location, being able to track your donations, follow your favored nonprofits, and engage in future volunteering and donations. Your tax receipt is emailed immediately upon processing your donation. To claim a donation as a deduction on U.S. taxes, you should retain the donation receipt as an official record.
Q. Can I pre-schedule a donation for Erie Gives?
While you cannot pre-schedule an ONLINE gift, you can make your gift by check, stock transfer or RMD from your IRA ahead of time. In fact, some donors make their non-online gifts a month ahead of time. The sooner the better!
The Erie Community Foundation needs to receive your gift by Friday, August 9th to process your check. If you are initiating a stock transfer of any kind, please do so before Monday, August 12th.
Q. What if my preferred organization is not listed?
The Erie Community Foundation opened registration on May 1, 2024 and will close registration by August 6, 2024. During this timeframe, we host webinars and send numerous reminders to nearly 500 nonprofits. If you do not see a favored nonprofit, they might not have registered or did not meet the criteria. To be eligible for Erie Gives, a nonprofit must be a vetted 501(c)(3), a member of the Nonprofit Partnership or have an endowment with the Foundation. Please consider calling your favorite nonprofit and encouraging them to participate in Erie Gives!
Still have questions regarding Erie Gives? Please email Kailey Pisani at KPisani@ErieCommunityFoundation.org.