#GivingTuesday 2017: Classy Launches Real-Time Giving Hub and New Philanthropic Effort, "ClassyGives"

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As nonprofits prepare for #GivingTuesday, Classy—creator of world-class online fundraising tools—is doubling down on the biggest giving day of the year by launching a real-time giving hub and new, company-led philanthropic initiative.

A Very Classy #GivingTuesday

As America shifts its focus to charitable giving after indulging in Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, Classy will launch its real-time giving hub on #GivingTuesday, November 28. This microsite is designed to offer the sector a dynamic view of up-to-the-minute fundraising activity, while inspiring supporters around the world to discover and donate to deserving organizations on #GivingTuesday.

"Our research found that #GivingTuesday donors are 60 to 150 percent more likely to give multiple times to the same organization on that one day, compared to donors who give during disaster relief, including during hurricane Harvey,¹" said Dr. Ben Cipollini, Engineering Manager, Data Insights at Classy. "It's clear that nonprofits can no longer afford to skip out on #GivingTuesday, so we've built this dynamic, data-driven hub to help the thousands of nonprofits we serve get the most out of this crucial giving day, while encouraging supporters to easily champion the causes they care about."

On #GivingTuesday, site visitors will be able to see which cities donations are coming from, which organizations are raising the most money, and how much in total is being raised on Classy. Additionally, nonprofits who raise a minimum of $500 on the platform will be entered into a drawing to win various prizes; for every $1 million transacted across the Classy platform on that day, a new prize will be unlocked and later awarded to each winning organization. The prizes have been donated by Classy and others, including Airbnb, Amazon Pay, Plenty, Salesforce.org, and Southwest Airlines.

Leading up to #GivingTuesday, the page will continue to feature resources for Classy clients as they plan for their fundraising efforts.

ClassyGives

In addition to the hub, Classy will kick off ClassyGives, an annual philanthropic initiative where the Classy staff bands together as a community to fundraise and provide further recognition for a Classy Award winner.

The program was inspired in 2016 when former Classy Award finalist, buildOn, challenged Classy to use its own fundraising platform to raise enough money to build a school in Nepal. The Classy staff crushed their goal, eventually sending several team members to Nepal to help build the school.

"After the amazing experience of bringing our day jobs to life by using the Classy platform to fundraise as a team, we decided to make it a tradition," said Dina Rulli, Director of People Operations at Classy. "Not only does ClassyGives provide an unmatched opportunity for staff to experience the power of the platform first-hand, but it also helps us live up to our Pledge 1% commitment, offer our employees a deeper connection to the nonprofits we serve, and further recognize our Classy Award winners."

The staff voted on which of the 10 2017 Classy Award winners they wanted to fundraise for, ultimately selecting Days for Girls, an organization dedicated to strengthening women and girls' sense of dignity and self-esteem by making sustainable feminine hygiene solutions and health education available around the world.

"We were already honored to be recognized as a 2017 Classy Award winner, so to now have the Classy team rally around our cause and fundraise on our behalf is a dream come true," said Sandy Clark, Chief Development Officer of Days for Girls. "We can't wait to see the direct impact their efforts have on providing opportunities for women to assume leadership positions while smashing the shame too often associated with menstruation." 

Days for Girls gets their menstrual hygiene kit solutions and education into the hands of women and girls around the world in two ways—through their global volunteer network of Chapters and Teams, and through micro-enterprise programs that provide women the opportunity to create sustainable and locally-led programs.

The top fundraisers will have the opportunity to travel to Uganda to distribute DfG Kits first-hand and further connect with the Days for Girls mission.

How to Get Involved

On Tuesday, November 28, for 24 hours only, nonprofits and supporters from all over the world can visit https://www.classy.org/giving-tuesday/ to track the growth of #GivingTuesday on Classy, see stand-out fundraising campaigns, and discover nonprofits to support on the biggest giving day of the year. To follow along with the ClassyGives campaign for Days for Girls, visit https://donate.daysforgirls.org/ClassyGives.

About Classy

Classy is a social enterprise that creates world-class online fundraising tools for nonprofits, modernizing the giving experience to accelerate social impact around the world. Since 2011, fundraising on the Classy platform has doubled each year—resulting in thousands of nonprofits collectively raising over half a billion dollars. Based in San Diego, CA, Classy is trusted by organizations of all sizes, from the fastest-growing nonprofits like Team Rubicon and The Trevor Project, to some of the world's largest social organizations, such as Acumen Fund, Robin Hood Foundation, and Shriners Hospital for Children. Classy also hosts the annual Classy Awards to spotlight the innovative work nonprofits are implementing around the globe. Backed by prominent technology investors, including JMI Equity, Mithril, Salesforce Ventures, and Bullpen Capital, Classy has raised $53 million to-date in growth capital. For more information, visit www.classy.org or follow Classy on Twitter @Classy.

About Days for Girls

Days for Girls International (DfGI) is a global nonprofit organization with a mission to nurture community and equity for women and girls. Through DfGI programs, women and girls gain access to health education, sustainable menstrual solutions, and social enterprise opportunities. Their unique hybrid model combines the power of volunteerism with locally social enterprises around the world. Founded in 2008 by Celeste Mergens, DfGI has reached over 850,000 women and girls in 110 countries. They have received the AARP Purpose Prize award, African Seed award, and Classy Award, and have been recognized by The Huffington Post as a 'Next Ten' Organization poised to change the world in the next decade.

CONTACT:
Monica Finch
mfinch@classy.org
619.323.2026

¹Giving Tuesday 2016 (November 29), End-of-year fundraising (December 31, 2016), disaster relief (Hurricane Harvey; August 25-30, 2017), a typical fundraising day (Tuesday, October 18, 2016), and a summary of the platform's previous 1 year of transactions (Sept 1, 2016 – August 30, 2017).

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SOURCE Classy