8th Annual Giving Day exceeds expectations, raises over $19,000 for area non-profits
The Community Foundation of the New River Valley (CFNRV) once again, held its largest giving day yet, GiveLocalNRV on Wednesday, June 23rd, to help over 90 nonprofits across the New River Valley raise money and draw attention to the important work they do for the region. The event exceeded its $430,000 fundraising goal, bringing in $519,643 from over 2,250 unique donors. In the eight years of the program to date, the giving day has raised over $2.1 million. The CFNRV is also pleased to award $15,000 in incentive grants, which encourage active participation during the Giving Day. This is more grant money than the CFNRV has ever offered thanks to many generous sponsors in the community including First Bank and Trust, HHHunt, and Olio Financial Planning. Sixteen organizations will receive these awards for the largest number of unique donors, two superstars, most money raised, a grant for the best video, power hour awards, and more.
NRV CARES was the winner of one of five power hour grants this year for the most unique donors in a given time period. They won the lunch break power hour and encouraged their donors to give during the noon hour to help them win. Executive Director of NRV CARES, Andi Golusky shared that “With this being our first year at really promoting GiveLocalNRV, we were so excited to win the Lunch Break power hour award. We have incredible donors and they really helped us to secure this awesome award. For a small organization like us, awards like this make us literally jump for joy!” Golusky shared a fun video on the NRV CARES Facebook page jumping with joy, to show donors how excited the organization was to win the grant, along with a heartfelt thank you message.
Each year, the CFNRV Board of Directors chooses a Video Grant winner, honoring an organization that creates their favorite video promoting their organization and GiveLocalNRV. This year, the winner of the Video Grant was the Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley (WRC). Laura Beth Weaver, the Executive Director, shared “The WRC is honored to be chosen as the video winner this year. GiveLocalNRV is a wonderful reminder that while the needs of our neighbors are great, so too is the generosity of our community. The clients of the WRC and so many other worthy and valuable programs benefit from the coalescing of support on days like GiveLocal!”Community members can learn more about the event and continue to make donations to their favorite nonprofit organizations through the platform year-round at www.givelocalnrv.org.
2021 GiveLocalNRV Incentive Grant Awardees:
Most Money Raised ($1,500 each):
- Large Organization: YMCA at Virginia Tech
- Medium Organization: Springhouse Community School
- Small Organization: New River Valley Leading Lights
Most Unique Donors ($1,000 each):
- Large Organization: St. John Neumann Academy
- Medium Organization: Montgomery Museum of Art & History
- Small Organization: Calfee Community & Cultural Center
Video Grant ($1,000):
- Women’s Resource Center of the NRV
Golden Ticket Winners ($500 each):
- 10 am: Friends of the Huckleberry Trail
- 2 pm: Live Work Eat Grow
- 8 pm: New River Land Trust
Peer-to-Peer ($500):
- The Agape Center
Power Hour Grant ($500 each):
- Early Bird: Literacy Volunteers of the NRV
- Coffee Break: Springhouse: Awakening Vitality
- Lunch Hour: NRV CARES
- Happy Hour: Children’s Advocacy Center of the NRV
- Finish Line: Calfee Community & Cultural Center
2021 Superstar Awards ($1,000 each):
- Downtown Christiansburg, Inc.
- Floyd Center for the Arts