2020 GoodGiving Challenge Raises $2.39 million for Local Nonprofits

Tenth annual week-long online giving campaign raised a record-breaking amount of money for 126 nonprofits

The preliminary numbers are in for the GoodGiving Challenge, and they reveal that $2.39 million was raised for 126 local nonprofits during the record-breaking, week-long online giving campaign that launched on Giving Tuesday. Hosted by Blue Grass Community Foundation and Smiley Pete Publishing, the GoodGiving Challenge connected charitable individuals with 126 local nonprofits by providing a convenient online giving platform at www.BGgives.org.

Since its inception in 2011, the GoodGiving Challenge has raised $14 million total for area nonprofits. Last year, the Challenge raised $1.68 million for 131 local nonprofits through more than 7,900 gifts made. This year’s preliminary numbers show not only a 30 percent increase in funds raised, they also show an increase in number of gifts made, with 13,700 donations.   

“At Blue Grass Community Foundation, building greater community generosity is central to what we do. We’re gratified by the community’s response, particularly in the midst of a pandemic. We know the needs are acute right now and appreciate local givers rising to the occasion. Of course we couldn’t do this without our funding partners, who made giving through the Challenge so fun and rewarding.”

Lisa Adkins, President/CEO of Blue Grass Community Foundation

“Raising almost $2.4 million in 7 days is an amazing capstone to a challenging year. Nonprofits have been working harder than ever to make our community great, and we’re so pleased that the community rallied in support of them to make the 2020 GoodGiving such a successful fundraising event.”

Lauren Parsons, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Communications at Blue Grass Community Foundation

“We love the concept of the GoodGiving Challenge and are so grateful for the opportunity to participate this year. We are a new nonprofit and feel extremely blessed to have raised our full operating budget through the Challenge in just one week! We look forward to serving more children and growing our services in 2021.” 

Allie Barnett, executive director of Justin’s Place

The 2020 GoodGiving Challenge featured over $600,000 in matching prizes that increased gifts by as much as 50 to 100 percent. Each day of the Challenge offered opportunities to amplify gifts with matches and prizes, offered by the following sponsors:

Clark County Community Foundation at BGCF – $250,000
Murry Foundation – $100,000
Marksbury Family Foundation – $60,000
Mitchell Family Foundation at BGCF – $50,000
Blue Grass Community Foundation (BGCF) – $30,000
Thomson R. Bryant Jr. & Betty R. Bryant Fund at BGCF – $25,000
MacAdam Family Foundation at BGCF – $25,000
Knight Foundation Donor Advised Fund at BGCF – $25,000
Total Wine & More – $23,000
Hudson-Ellis Fund at BGCF – $20,000
West Sixth Brewing – $5,000
Edith D. Gardner Charitable Fund at BGCF