FAQ
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. For the past thirteen years, the community has supported Erie Gives, which was first unveiled in 2011 to celebrate The Erie Community Foundation's 75th anniversary. To date, Erie Gives has raised over $56M for local nonprofits.
Erie Gives is the purest example of Collective Giving whereby if everyone gives a little, Erie Gives adds up to be a lot of financial support for nonprofits. The extra bonus of Erie Gives is the event generates new donor relationships, reinforces the support of current donors and provides opportunities for nonprofits to tell their stories and share their missions.
Q. When is Erie Gives?
Erie Gives is on August 13th, 2024 from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
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. Being a member of the Nonprofit Partnership is not a "pay to play" just for Erie Gives, rather, a Nonprofit Membership provides year round benefits including educational opportunities, expert guidance on capacity building and a chance to participate in peer networking.
Q. Who can donate?
Anyone may donate. Donations through the Erie Gives online portal to charitable nonprofit organizations are tax-deductible. Everyone can be a philanthropist with a gift of $25 or more!
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 Tuesday, August 13, 2024, but the earlier the better. The faster your check arrives, the better for our staff to process in time for Erie Gives.
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. 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 included after Friday, September 8, 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. 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 make donations via a mobile device?
Yes! Simply visit eriegives.org on your mobile device.
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!
However, The Erie Community Foundation needs your gift by Tuesday, August 13th to process your check.
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 particpate in Erie Gives, which takes place the second Tuesday of every August. This year Erie Gives is Tuesday, August 13, 2024.
Q. How do the Bonus Bucks work?
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.