Minnesota’s annual Give to the Max Day this week is the largest fundraising day of the year for many of the state’s nonprofits, but organizers said the venture’s size and success shouldn’t deter anyone considering a donation.
Minnesota nonprofits are looking for donations this Give to the Max day. Here’s how to help
State nonprofit organizations have put on the “Give to the Max” day every November for 16 years. This year, they say, election concerns, cost-of-living struggles could be factors in giving decisions.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
November 19, 2024 at 12:30PM
“Even if all you can give is $5, please don’t skip that part of November, because all of those dollars are going to make a huge difference to not only the organization serving our neighbors, but our neighbors themselves,” said Jake Blumberg, executive director of GiveMN, which puts on the annual event. Higher costs at the grocery store or on utility bills have left many feeling a pinch, Blumberg acknowledged, but that’s likely to be felt even harder by organizations that feed the hungry or help provide shelter to unhoused people.
This year’s Give to the Max, which runs all day Thursday, will test Minnesota’s recent trend of bucking national decreases in the rate of charitable giving. In 2023, more than $34 million went to state nonprofit organizations, the fourth consecutive year the statewide online fundraiser topped $30 million.
The giving holiday often increases exposure for nonprofit organizations, attracting many first-time donors. New this year is a regional amplifier program that will provide additional sponsored prize grants for gifts made to organizations in greater Minnesota, Blumberg said.
“We’re excited about that partnership and the opportunity for rural and greater Minnesota organizations to have a little additional generosity pointed their direction,” he said.
The postelection season sometimes inspires donor fatigue. But the outcome of the presidential race this year has given some Minnesota nonprofits a sense of urgency to go with their donor pitches. CAPI, a Brooklyn Center-based nonprofit serving refugees and immigrants, is currently supporting more families than ever, said Development & Communications Director Monique Hernandez. She said there’s been a needed uptick in interest in the last couple weeks from people looking to give to immigrant and refugee causes in the Twin Cities, as fears rise of impending federal policy changes that could negatively impact the community.
“I’ve been seeing a lot more people in the community seeking out those ways to just get involved, whether that’s donating, volunteering, or just participating in events,” Hernandez said. CAPI operates a culturally-specific food shelf that sees 40 families or about 300 people per week, and is hoping to raise $10,000 as part of their campaign to support the food shelf and a future child care center the group hopes to open in 2026.
“We’ve had to scale back on the amount of people we can serve in the food shelf because the demand has been so high,” Hernandez said. “With food prices being what they are, it’s harder for us to obtain the amount that we need with the funding that we have.”
Ahead of Thursday, donors can make contributions during an early giving period that began Nov. 1. Early giving has been robust for Friends of the Boundary Waters, whose pitch to keep the beloved area wild has grown more urgent than ever.
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to quickly terminate federal protections in the Superior National Forest. At the state level, challenges regarding proposed copper sulfide mines at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness are back with renewed vigor in light of the election, said Chris Knopf, executive director of Friends of the Boundary Waters.
“We are very concerned about protecting the wilderness from the pollution that will come from those mines. We need the resources to make it happen,” Knopf said of the upcoming fight.
The vast majority of the group’s support comes from individuals, rather than from foundations or public funds, making Give to the Max Day an incredible time to get involved, he said. Friends of the Boundary Waters has a goal of raising $175,000 to fight off threats to the land.
Planning to support a Minnesota nonprofit this year? Here’s what else you need to know:
How to give
Use GiveMN’s searchable tool to find a cause you care about. There are filters to help find specific categories of nonprofit causes.
When does it run?
Early giving is on now. Give to the Max Day runs for 24 hours on Thursday, Nov. 21, ending at 11:59 p.m.
Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes. Donors can access receipts and annual giving statements online.
Co-owner Randy Segal said he is thinking about retiring.
