Nonprofit FAQ

Q. What is 35 Hours of Giving?

35 Hours of Giving is a philanthropic event featuring multiple ways for donors to support the endowment fund of nonprofit organizations located in or serving Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton counties. Donors can give in person, by check, or can donate online during the 35-hour giving period at 35hours.ourcommunity.org. 

Funds raised go directly to each nonprofit’s endowment fund held at the Capital Region Community Foundation, where they are invested to help ensure long-term sustainability.

Q. How much does it cost for a nonprofit to participate?

There is no cost to the nonprofit organization! All processing fees associated with an online donation and the cost of the GiveGab platform are covered by the donor and the Capital Region Community Foundation.

Q. When does nonprofit registration close?

Nonprofit registration closes on February 5, 2025.

Q. Who can donate?

Anyone with a credit card and access to the internet!

Q. What forms of donations are accepted?

  • Online donations at 35hours.ourcommunity.org via MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express, Mobile Wallet, or ACH bank transfer.
  • Check donations using our mail-in donation form.
  • Gifts of stock or distributions from an IRA can be made by contacting the Community Foundation office at 517-272-2870.

Learn more about Ways to Give and using your bank account for donations.

Q. How much of the donation will go to the nonprofit?

All online donations are subject to a 3.5% processing fee.

  • Donors have the option to cover this fee so that 100% of their gift goes to the nonprofit’s endowment fund.
  • If a donor does not cover the fee, the Community Foundation will pay the remaining cost, ensuring the nonprofit receives the full donation amount.
  • The Community Foundation also covers all other costs associated with the event.

Q. Will donations be matched?

Yes! The Community Foundation has provided a $35,000 matching pool. Each participating nonprofit will receive a proportionate share of this pool based on the total new donations they raise. No single organization may receive more than 10% of the total matching funds in a given year.

Q. Are there other incentives available?

Yes! $500 prizes will be awarded throughout the campaign based on key milestones. Details can be found on the Prizes page.

Q. What is a "unique donor"?

A unique donor is defined as one individual or corporation/business. Multiple donations from the same donor to a single nonprofit will count as one gift for prize eligibility, depending on the prize criteria.

Q. How will donors receive a tax receipt?

Online donors receive an automatic thank-you email and tax-deductible receipt immediately after donating. Gifts made in person or via mail will also receive a thank you email and a tax-deductible receipt if an email was provided on the mail-in form. All other donations will receive a tax receipt directly from the Community Foundation.

Your organization should NOT issue gift receipts for any donation through 35 Hours of Giving, since the funds go directly into your endowment, not to your organization.

Q. Is there a minimum gift?

The minimum online donation is $10. The minimum for donations made via ACH is $100. Donations in-person or by mail can be made for any amount. There is no maximum donation amount aside from what is controlled by your banking institution.

Q. Can donors pay off a pledge during 35 Hours of Giving?

No. 35 Hours of Giving is designed to generate new support for your endowment, so we discourage inviting your donors to pay off an existing pledge during the campaign. 

Q. Can a donor designate how a nonprofit uses their gift?

No. All 35 Hours of Giving donations go directly to the nonprofit’s endowment fund at the Community Foundation and cannot be designated for other purposes.

Q. May a donor use their donation to buy event tickets, museum memberships, or other things that provide them a benefit?

No, donations may not be in exchange for anything that could be perceived as a material benefit to the donor, advisor, or other disqualified person. This includes dinner or event tickets, membership fees, golf fees, admission tickets, or other gifts.

Q. How will donations be distributed?

Each donation made to a participating nonprofit will be disbursed directly from GiveGab via direct deposit to the Capital Region Community Foundation within 5-7 business days. The Community Foundation will then place those donations, plus the participant’s share of the prorated matching fund, into their endowment fund within 30 days of event close.

Q. Will this be an annual event?

No. We host this on a semi-annual basis to allow nonprofit participants to run other campaigns in between.

Q. Who is GiveGab?

GiveGab is a nonprofit giving platform that helps nonprofits to raise money, engage donors, and manage volunteers quickly and efficiently. GiveGab offers a full portfolio of simple and easy to use products that allows organizations to function in a more streamlined manner.

Q. When I check the box on GiveGab to declare state charitable solicitation registration compliance, what am I attesting to?

When you check the box you are attesting that your organization is compliant with applicable Michigan fundraising requirements, including appropriate licensing to solicit donors on the GiveGab platform.

Q. Can more than one person claim admin access on our organization's page?

Yes, pending approval from existing administrators. All administrators will need to create profiles on GiveGab. Every person who has administrative access will receive emails about updates to their page. Click here to learn how to add an admin and click here to learn how to remove an admin.

Q. How do I request admin access to an organization I don't currently have access to?

While you are going through the registration process, you will be prompted to request admin access. Follow the full steps here.

Q. How does my organization know who has donated and how much? Can I download a donor report?

All organizations that participate in 35 Hours of Giving will be able to access and download a .CSV file of their donations via their administrative dashboard on GiveGab. Note that donors will have the option to request anonymity of the gift.

Q. What portion of a donation made on GiveGab is tax deductible?

GiveGab offers the option for donors to increase the amount they give in order to “cover the fees” associated with their gift. Even when a donor decides to cover the fees, the entire amount is still tax-deductible as allowed by law. Donors will see the total amount they give to each organization reflected in their tax-deductible donation letter. The tax-deductible amount in the letter will include any additional contribution they have made to cover the fees.