Minnesota Nonprofits and Donors Connected through New Easy-to-Use Web Site

United Way of Olmsted County understands that philanthropy is changing. These changes demand options and flexibility - a range of opportunities to give and various means of doing so.

GiveMN.org addresses need for one-stop online giving platform

Minnesota nonprofits and the individuals who want to support them will find the donation process easier and more convenient with the launch of GiveMN.org. GiveMN, the first-of-its-kind online giving portal, will provide donors with information about organizations that match their philanthropic goals, and will allow users to easily keep track of their donations in a single online location.

GiveMN is the first giving-site focused specifically on nonprofits in a single state, though users will also be able to access all registered United States 501 (c) (3) organizations. Donors can go to GiveMN anytime to support their favorite causes. They can also manage their charitable giving there by recording online and offline contributions and storing receipts.

The Minnesota Community Foundation and other key nonprofit leaders in Minnesota created GiveMN to take advantage of the many benefits offered by online giving for both donors and nonprofits. While the median nonprofit raises less than 1 percent of its funds online today, e-philanthropy is far less expensive for nonprofits than traditional fundraising methods, such as direct mail or grant writing.

"Minnesotans have long led the nation in charitable giving and civic innovation, but we aren't fulfilling the great potential of online philanthropy," said Dana Nelson, executive director of GiveMN. "We believe GiveMN will help advance charitable giving in the Internet age. It will offer people a one-stop shop to explore and support their favorite causes."

Through GiveMN, Minnesota nonprofits can showcase their work and introduce their organizations to potential donors. Customized profiles of Minnesota charities will detail their individual missions, programs and events. Nonprofits will also receive tools and tips for making the most of the site prior to the launch.

In addition, GiveMN will sponsor promotions throughout the year designed to appeal to different types of givers, create new incentives for giving and engage the broadest possible number of Minnesotans. For example, matching promotions will give donors the opportunity to have their gifts to Minnesota charities matched through GiveMN. The first "Give to the Max Day" is scheduled for mid-November.

"The opportunity to create a much more efficient and highly interactive Minnesota giving community is incredibly exciting," said Mary Brainerd, CEO of HealthPartners and board member of GiveMN. "We believe that GiveMN will allow Minnesota to lead in creating the next generation of online giving."

GiveMN is partnering with Razoo.com, the leading consumer giving platform in the country, to create an engaging destination for donors to connect with nonprofits.

About GiveMN

GiveMN is an innovative online resource that will change the way Minnesotans give and help create a stronger nonprofit community for Minnesota. GiveMN is an independent 501(c) (3) organization that is a supporting organization of the Minnesota Community Foundation. Many partners shaped GiveMN to build upon Minnesota's strong tradition of philanthropy, including: Blandin Foundation, Briggs & Morgan, Central Minnesota Community Foundation, Ecolab Foundation, F.R. Bigelow Foundation, Greater Twin Cities United Way, HealthPartners, Initiative Foundation, The Minneapolis Foundation, Northland Foundation, Northwest Minnesota Foundation, The Saint Paul Foundation, Southern Initiative Foundation, Southwest Initiative Foundation, West Central Initiative Foundation and Women's Foundation of Minnesota. For more information, go to www.GiveMN.org.