Santa Cruz Gives, a countywide crowdfunding holiday campaign in its ninth season, will raise funds for 63 local nonprofits from Nov. 20 until midnight Dec. 31.
Santa Cruz Gives has become the largest fundraising campaign in Santa Cruz County supporting local nonprofits — raising more than $5 million since it began in 2015, with $2.2 million given in the past two years.
At SantaCruzGives.org, donors browse profile pages to learn about each nonprofit’s mission and “Big Idea” for 2025, a project to be funded with donations, then use a shopping cart to give. Minimum donation: $5.
Nonprofits cover the county geographically and represent a variety of needs: Youth, seniors, animals, environment, education, health and wellness, food and nutrition, housing and homelessness, the arts, veterans, families, LGBTQIA+, and the disabled.
The selected nonprofits will receive individually donated funds, matching funds provided by sponsors, and be eligible for three $1,000 awards: Most donors overall, most increased donations from previous year, and most successful first- time participant.
A committee with diverse nonprofit experience reviewed chose 63 from those that applied. Participation is limited so each nonprofit has potential to raise sufficient funds for staff time spent on the campaign. The public exposure that nonprofits gain through the Santa Cruz Gives campaign is beyond what any could achieve on their own.
Participants in Santa Cruz Gives report a majority of donors are new donors as well as younger.
Presenting sponsors are Good Times and the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County. Additional sponsors include: Community Foundation Santa Cruz County; Driscoll’s, Inc., Monterey Peninsula Foundation, 1440 Foundation, and The Applewood Fund and The Joe Collins Fund at Community Foundation Santa Cruz County.
Other sponsors are Santa Cruz County Bank, Wynn Capital Management, The Pajaronian, and Press Banner.
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