Ready to to join Midlands Gives?

Registration for Midlands Gives 2021 is closed. If you are interested in participating in Midlands Gives 2022, please complete the Midlands Gives Interest Form. For other funding and capacity building opportunities, please sign up for Central Carolina Community Foundation's Nonprofit News email.

Questions? Contact midlandsgives@yourfoundation.org or call 803.254.5601 x4. If you are an approved participant of Midlands Gives, request to join our Midlands Gives Nonprofit Facebook Group.

To quickly access the information you need on this page, use the links in the table of contents below:

Registration Information

Registration for Midlands Gives 2021 is closed.

Nonprofits are eligible to participate in Midlands Gives if they:

Are a 501(c)3 in good standing
Have an office in one of the following SC Counties: Calhoun, Clarendon, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda or Sumter
Have at least 1 full year of financial history as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization by December 15, 2020
Agree to the Midlands Gives Participation Agreement, including the $10 technology administration fee*

Information for new nonprofits can be found here.

Information for returning nonprofits can be found here.

Important Dates

October 12, 2020 | Registration Opens
November 13, 2020 | Early Bird Registration Ends
December 1, 2020 | Giving Tuesday
December 15, 2020 | Registration Closes, Deadline to complete required fields of Midlands Gives profile (for new nonprofits)
April 1, 2021 | Early Giving Opens
April 30, 2021 | Last day to make profile edits, Deadline to submit matching gifts
May 3, 2021 | Deadline for donors to create Champion Pages by 5 p.m.
May 4, 2021 | Midlands Gives Day!

Training Information

Midlands Gives training sessions provide participating nonprofits tools and resources to meet their giving day goals. Can't attend? Recorded webinars, slide decks and supplemental materials can be found on your Midlands Gives dashboard under 'Toolkit.' All training sessions will be held virtually and last about an hour unless otherwise noted.

Midlands Gives 101 - Required for new nonprofits

Recorded training and slide deck are available here. Please email MidlandsGives@yourfoundation.org to receive participation credit.

Upcoming Training Opportunities

Building Winning Boards: Thursday, February 25, 10 a.m. | Register
- Our friends from Network for Good will offer guidance on connecting with board members to strengthen your nonprofit's capacity to serve the community.

Past Training Opportunities

Making the Most of the Midlands Gives Platform | Training recording and slide deck can be found here.
- Our friends at Civicore, the Midlands Gives platform provider, will guide nonprofits through using the Civicore platform to update profiles, check donation information, connect with donors and more!
Midlands Gives Strategy Session | Training resources can be found here.
- Plan your Midlands Gives Day strategy with the support of the Midlands Gives Team!
Turning Donors into Lifelong Friends | Training resources can be found on your Midlands Gives dashboard under 'Toolkit.'
- Our friends from Network for Good guide nonprofits through building relationships with donors for sustained support.
Storytelling for Social Media with the Giving Day Guy | Training resources can be found on your Midlands Gives dashboard under 'Toolkit.'
- How must nonprofits adjust to a drastically different social media landscape to stay top of mind with supporters into 2021? How can nonprofits strategically use social media to satisfy donors' dueling desires for both comfort and connection, and convert that trust into much-needed support? In this interactive presentation, Chris Strub, the 'Giving Day Guy,' offers timely insights and actionable ideas for you to both build toward a successful Midlands Gives Day, and cultivate an engaged online community year-round.
Planning Virtual Events: Tuesday, February 16, 10 a.m. | Training resources can be found on your Midlands Gives dashboard under 'Toolkit.'
- Our friends from Network for Good guide nonprofits through planning virtual events to increase engagement with donors and supporters!

Midlands Gives Minute Emails

Midlands Gives Minute emails help keep nonprofits informed and on track during the entire Midlands Gives process. Emails will be sent monthly to your organization's Midlands Gives contact, with increased frequency leading up to Midlands Gives Day. Please ensure your Midlands Gives contact remains current.

If your nonprofit has been approved and your Midlands Gives contact is not receiving these emails, please contact midlandsgives@yourfoundation.org.

Matching Gifts

Tips and guidelines for matching gifts:

To let Midlands Gives donors know you have a match, please update your Midlands Gives profile, responding to the question about matches. You can update the total match amount at any time before April 30, should you receive more matching gifts. Then “Save Changes.” The total match amount will be visible on April 1, the first day of early giving. Please note: There is no matching gift form this year.
Minimum matches are $1,000. This amount can come from one donor or multiple donors to make up the full amount.
Matches will be given from the donor(s) directly to your organization, not through the Midlands Gives platform.
It is between you and the donor(s) if the match will be dollar–for–dollar and if the match will be kept by the donors if the matching goal is not met.
Promote your match! It will be listed on your profile, but sharing the news with other potential donors can greatly motivate giving.

Nonprofit FAQs

General FAQs

Why should our nonprofit participate in Midlands Gives?

Midlands Gives provides an ideal platform for participating nonprofit organizations to increase awareness, donors and dollars all within one campaign. Using the resources provided by Central Carolina Community Foundation, nonprofits can create an extensive, yet cost-effective outreach campaign.

Does Central Carolina Community Foundation make money from Midlands Gives?

No. The Foundation does not receive any profit from Midlands Gives. All money raised goes to the organizations that participate less the 5.0% credit card and technology fees and one-time $10 technology administration fee. Central Carolina Community Foundation and generous sponsors underwrite all costs associated with hosting the event.

Registration FAQs

How do I know if I am a NEW nonprofit?

Any nonprofit that did not participate in Midlands Gives 2020 should register as a NEW nonprofit. Registration for Midlands Gives 2021 is closed. If you are interested in participating in Midlands Gives 2022, please complete the Midlands Gives Interest Form.

How will I know if I'm missing information or if you have questions about it?

If this occurs, we will add a note in the comments tab of your profile describing what we need. An email will be automatically sent to you asking you to review the comments.

Where do I sign the Participation Agreement?

When logged into your Midlands Gives profile, click the orange "Edit My Profile" button below the list of users. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the participation agreement section. Read the agreement and then type your name in the field to accept.

Does participating in Midlands Gives cost anything?

There is a $10 technology administration fee* which will be reflected in your Midlands Gives Day payment. *Your organization can have this fee waived by attending at least 50% (3 out of 6) trainings offered in the months leading up to Midlands Gives Day, not including Midlands Gives 101.

Training FAQs

Does my organization need to do Midlands Gives 101?

That depends. If your organization has never participated in Midlands Gives or did not participate last year, then Midlands Gives 101 is mandatory.

If your organization participated in Midlands Gives 2020, you do not need to attend Midlands Gives 101 but are welcome to join!

How many people from my organization can attend the trainings?

There is no limit to how many people can attend the webinars. The in-person trainings are limited to two representatives from each organization.

Can I attend more than the required trainings?

Yes! We encourage you to attend and take advantage of as many of the webinars as you like. All webinars will also be recorded for you and your colleagues to view at a later time.

Will the webinars be recorded?

Yes, training recordings and accompanying slide decks are available here.

Giving Day FAQs

When is Midlands Gives?

Midlands Gives Day will be May 4, 2021. Giving day begins at 6 a.m. and ends at 11:59:59 PM. The Midlands Gives platform, however, is open year-round for giving!

Where is Midlands Gives Day 2021 headquarters?

Midlands Gives Day will be an entirely online giving day! Join in the Midlands Gives Day excitement on social media through Central Carolina Community Foundation's Facebook page, @cccfpics on Instagram, and @cccftweets on Twitter and Use #MidlandsGives across all platforms to join in the online conversation!

Donation FAQs

Is there a size limit on gifts?

There is no maximum amount. The minimum gift is now $10!

What is a unique donor?

A unique donor is defined as one person or corporation/business. Donors are encouraged to make gifts to multiple organizations of their choice. Each gift to a different organization will be counted separately on the giving day leaderboard. Multiple gifts made to the same organization using the same credit card will be considered as one gift.

Can staff, volunteers and board members donate to the organization they are associated with?

Yes, as long as they use a personal credit or debit card and not one associated with the nonprofit receiving the donation.

When will my organization receive their Midlands Gives donations?

Organizations who receive donations through the year-round platform will receive checks quarterly in January, April, July, and October.

For donations made during Midlands Gives Day, Central Carolina Community Foundation will provide your organization with payment via check in the amount of total donations received on behalf of your organization net of fees plus the organization's share of any regional matching funds and any prize amounts (if applicable). Prior to receiving the check, you will receive an email statement informing you of your grant amount. You will have ten days to dispute this amount before the check will be sent to your organization. Please be patient as our finance department performs a financial reconciliation on all transactions. To ensure accuracy, this process takes some time. Payment will be made on or before June 30.

Can we encourage donations by giving away prizes or free gifts?

No. All gifts made during Midlands Gives must be 100% tax deductible. You cannot offer a premium for gifts made during the event. Organizations are however encouraged to raise their own matching funds, which allow donations to go even further.

Does my organization need to send letters for their tax deductions?

No. The donor will immediately receive an email confirming the gift receipt from Central Carolina Community Foundation. We encourage you to acknowledge donations by following-up with donors to thank them and let them know how their gifts will fuel your mission.

Will my organization receive donor contact information?

Yes, organizations will have access to their donor lists through their CiviCore account. This information will include contact and amount information for their specific donors. You will be able to see your organization's donations as they come in. Donors will be notified at the time of their donation that this information will be provided to your organization and donors have the option of remaining anonymous. Remember, this information is confidential. Nonprofits should not share their donor information with anyone and NEVER giver or sell the information to a third party.

Should my organization also send a tax acknowledgement letter?

No. Central Carolina Community Foundation must issue all donor acknowledgments for tax purposes and they will be issued to the donor via email immediately after the donation. The participating organization may issue a separate informal "thank you" but it does not need to include the formal tax-deductible language that references the donation amount.

I have more questions!

Feel free to submit your questions to midlandsgives@yourfoundation.org or, if you have an urgent question, give us a call at 803.254.5601 x4.

Information for Nonprofits