Give to the Max Day makes Minnesota better

Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.

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Recent redesign submissions for Minnesota's state flag included images of loons, lady's slipper flowers and other representations of the North Star state (including the North Star itself). Although it's more difficult to depict, Give to the Max Day seems just as symbolic of Minnesota — or at least Minnesotans — because the annual "giving holiday" originated here.

This year's event occurs Thursday, and Minnesotans are once again expected to dig deep to replenish the depleted coffers of thousands of nonprofit organizations and educational institutions integral to the state. Last year, they received $34.1 million in donations.

"This celebration of generosity the week before Thanksgiving is a uniquely Minnesota tradition where we can give together to support our neighbors and our communities," Jake Blumberg, the executive director of GiveMN, which organizes Give to the Max Day, told an editorial writer.

It's the 15th anniversary of the event, which Blumberg predicts will again break the $30 million mark. More than 14,000 organizations statewide have received donations since the giving day started. To add extra incentive beyond the altruistic motivation Minnesota is known for, GiveMN has partnered with the Bush Foundation to create a $100,000 fund that will, among other incentives, add $500 every 15 minutes to add to some randomly chosen donors' contributions earmarked to a specific organization. And if donors don't have a specific organization in mind, the GiveMN site can be searched by broad category to identify worthy recipients.

Last year's Give to the Max Day total was slightly down from 2021, but up significantly from $21.6 million in pre-pandemic 2019. Nationally, total giving by U.S. corporations, foundations and individuals declined last year for only the fourth time in four decades, according to Giving USA's annual report.

Blumberg noted that organizations fighting food insecurity have to pay more for their groceries, too — all the while many Minnesotans are made more vulnerable because of rising prices. The need is there, and nonprofits need to be there, too.

That fact itself should incentivize Minnesotans to give to the max. Overall, "giving is an act of engagement; people give to make a difference in their lives and in their communities," Kathleen M. Schmidlkofer, the president and CEO of the University of Minnesota Foundation, the U's philanthropic arm, told an editorial writer. Some former scholarship students pay it forward to educational institutions, she cited in just one example.

While inflation is falling and incomes (in aggregate) are rising, philanthropy in general and Give to the Max Day in particular still face headwinds. But perhaps more than nearly anywhere else in the country, Minnesotans seem to consistently rise to the challenge to try to change their state for the better.

"Minnesota is a state of highly engaged, civic people who have a huge sense of pride in our communities, and I think that just extends into philanthropy," said Schmidlkofer, who added that "Give to the Max Day is probably a perfect example of that. It's truly a unique Minnesota success story, and I think it really is a symbol of how Minnesotans come together and really engage in that civic pride."