Colorado Gives Day is a statewide event organized by the Colorado Gives Foundation that invites people to donate and support their favorite nonprofits. Each year, Grand County Gives supports local nonprofits by marketing the event regionally and raising awareness.

Grand Foundation Executive Director Megan Ledin exlained that the foundation works as the regional champion to raise awareness of the Colorado Gives program and specifically Colorado Gives Day.

The Grand County Gives team worked to come up with fundraising and marketing ideas for Colorado Gives Day, including promotional materials and advertising. Historically, the Grand Foundation would give away two $500 prizes to randomly selected Grand County nonprofits, but this year it gave out one $500 award to a nonprofit and spent the other $500 on the production of yard signs to place around the county.

A total of $554,797.53 was raised from 1,728 donations from Dec. 1-10 for Grand County nonprofits on ColoradoGives.org, according to Colorado Gives Foundation Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jessica Hanner. That figure includes donations made to organizations not affiliated with Grand County Gives.

A total of 27 Grand County nonprofits participated in this year’s Gives Day.