Community Corner

Spring2ACTion Hopes to Raise $1 Million in 24 Hours for Alexandria Non-Profits

Here's how to participate today (Wednesday, April 9.)

On Wednesday, ACT for Alexandria is hosting Spring2ACTion, a 24-hour online giving competition to raise money for local nonprofits.

In its fourth year, Spring2ACTion, the only citywide giving day in the region, hopes to raise $1 million in just 24 hours for 114 participating nonprofits.

To join individual donors, local businesses and nonprofits for this day of giving, go to www.spring2action.org. The minimum donation is $10.  

“Spring2ACTion has gained tremendous momentum in only three years: it raised $104,156 in 2011, compared to $659,591 last year…over six times the results of its first year," says John Porter, executive director of ACT for Alexandria. 

"While our $1,000,000 goal is ambitious, we are hopeful that the momentum created in the past three years, as well as our contest structure that allows fundraising nonprofits to compete for over $30,000 in prizes, will help us raise these funds. Raising $1 million for Alexandria’s nonprofits would be of tremendous help to our community."

Trends

• Government funding of nonprofits stagnated or decreased over the past decade, and continues to do so, according to a 2013 study done by The Bruhn-Morris Family Foundation. Giving days are an example of new, creative ways that nonprofits are reaching out to individual donors to fill this funding gap. Spring2ACTion has helped Alexandria nonprofits raise more than $1,000,000 since its inception in 2011.  

• Giving days are at the forefront of national online giving trends. They infuse nonprofits with short-term funds, increased online fundraising skills, and higher public awareness of their work, according to a study from the Case Foundation. Spring2ACTion has raised more funds per capita than several statewide giving days.  

• The nonprofit sector is important to the economy of Virginia, as well as the region’s most vulnerable who need public services. In the City of Alexandria, 691 nonprofits employ 10,202 people. Nonprofits in Northern Virginia provide 6.2% of regional employment, according to a report produced by the Nonprofit Roundtable.  

Spring2ACTion’s contest structure is one of the keys to its success: local nonprofit organizations have the chance to compete for over $30,000 in grants and prizes.  Local businesses, including the Old Town Boutique District, are donating a percentage of their sales on April 9 to Spring2ACTion.

For a complete list of Spring2ACTion’s community partners and participating businesses, go to http://www.spring2action.org.  Each donation made on http://www.spring2action.org helps participating nonprofits qualify to earn prize money, making every gift made on April 9 even more powerful.

For a list of participating nonprofits and FAQ’s, go to http://www.spring2action.org


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