Philanthropy beat: The first Give OUT raises $556,000

Why not create a one-day, online giving blitz, modeled after Minnesota's Give to the Max Day, to drum up support for nonprofits that work with GLBT communities?

Such was the seed of "Give OUT," the first national day of giving to GLBT causes that raised $556,000 last Thursday. It was the same day that the Minnesota House approved same-sex marriages.

"It had to be one of the greatest days of my life," said Rounds.

Minnesota nonprofits stepped up to the plate, he said, encouraging their donors and the community to contribute on the online giving platform. The Greater Twin Cities United Way even launched its "Live United With Pride" campaign to coincide with Give OUT.

The United Way turned out to be a national leader, recruiting 226 donors, the second-highest number of donors in the nation. It trailed only the Transgender Law Center of San Francisco, which attracted 294 donors and raised $17,555. The United Way raised $12,826.

One of the challenges of recruiting nonprofits across the country to participate — by contacting their donors, using social media to promote, etc. — was that most people weren't familiar with the "Give to the Max Day" concept, Rounds said.

Thanks to funding from Rounds and his partner, Mark Hiemenz, as well as the Kevin J. Mossier Foundation, Give OUT was able to hire a New York nonprofit to set up Web pages and social media and offer webinars for all stakeholders on how to host a one-day, online giving day.

Give OUT is funded for three years, he said, "to make sure it has legs." The goal is to make it an annual event to bring in new and/or more generous supporters for programs and causes that are often underfunded.

"This is not the solution," said Rounds. "But it's a good start."