SITUATION

The Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) is one of the oldest and largest philanthropic organizations in the region. Its mission is to create a thriving community for all. Every day, GNOF joins other foundations, nonprofit organizations, community leaders and government officials to address the needs of the community and build consensus for solutions. In 2014, GNOF decided to host its first 24-hour, online giving day in New Orleans in conjunction with Give Local America in which hundreds of community foundations across America ask their communities to give back. Since this was the inaugural year of GiveNOLA Day, GNOF engaged Gambel Communications to create a strategic media and community outreach campaign to maximize exposure and garner community attention, ultimately attracting nonprofit participants and donors.

GNOF has turned to Gambel Communications again each year since to consistently increase awareness for the day of giving and raise more funds for nonprofits in the New Orleans community.

CAMPAIN

Both large and small nonprofit organizations in the Greater New Orleans area are encouraged to sign up for GiveNOLA Day. All money raised is amplified on this one day of giving through a local pool of incentive dollars for participating organizations. Every dollar donated on GiveNOLA Day is also stretched with additional “lagniappe” dollars provided by GNOF and GiveNOLA Day sponsors.

To announce the date and goal of GiveNOLA Day each year, Gambel Communications arranges a press conference, which features representatives from the City of New Orleans, the GNOF team and local nonprofits interested in participating. Leading up to each GiveNOLA Day, Gambel Communications handled media relations and earns extensive coverage in print, online, television and radio media channels. Gambel meets with targeted local media and works with the Office of the Mayor of New Orleans to generate public support, disseminates e-blasts to community leaders and works with business and professional organizations to encourage sponsorships and participation. The team continually secures spots on all the local television morning shows; coordinates multiple live remotes each GiveNOLA Day; and provides updates throughout the day to media on dollars raised and donor participation. As a result, there has been extensive and consistent local coverage across all platforms leading up to, during and after GiveNOLA Day for six consecutive years.

RESULT

A local philanthropic movement was ignited with the launch of GiveNOLA Day, culminating in 19,623 gifts and nearly $2.3 million raised for 309 regional nonprofit organizations. This far surpassed the initial goal to involve 250 nonprofits, receive 5,000 gifts and raise $1 million.

Giving on the second GiveNOLA Day increased 78 percent, resulting in $4 million raised and 34,000 gifts to 571 regional nonprofits to again surpass GNOF’s goals. Despite a technology failure that affected the shut-down of dozens of giving websites, the third annual giving day raised another $4 million from 28,000 donations for the 713 participating nonprofit organizations.

By the sixth year, GiveNOLA Day in 2019 resulted in nearly $6 million raised from more than 50,000 donations to benefit 700+ participating nonprofit organizations.