Nonprofit Resources
Partnering for good
Looking for information about creating a GivingEdge profile, participating in the next Big Day of Giving from the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, and promoting your good work in the community? You've found the right place.
A profile on the Sacramento region's nonprofit knowledgebase, GivingEdge, gives your organization an "edge" in educating our community on the impact you make, offers donors the option to support your work by making gifts, and provides you access to top-of-the-line donor engagement tools and functionality.
Create a GivingEdge Profile
GivingEdge is the backbone of the Sacramento region's annual giving day, Big Day of Giving, and all nonprofits that participate in Big Day of Giving must have updated GivingEdge profiles. In fact, building a GivingEdge profile is part of the Big Day of Giving registration process from mid-October through December of each year. Note that creating a profile does not register your organization for Big Day of Giving. Scroll below for information on the BDOG registration process.
Eligibility Criteria
To create a profile on GivingEdge, your nonprofit must meet the following criteria:
- Be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization in good standing with the IRS, the California Secretary of State, the California Department of Justice, and the Franchise Tax Board.
- Be headquartered or have a branch in the four-county capital region of El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, or Yolo counties, and provide services to one or more of these counties. If your organization is physically located outside of this region, but a significant amount of your work takes place in the four-county area, you are eligible to participate; however, you will be asked to provide additional documentation.
- Not currently under any federal, state, or local investigation or regulatory-related inquiry (including violations and citations) related to any aspect of your operation.
- Nonprofit organizations that currently have a fund at Sacramento Region Community Foundation are eligible to participate regardless of location. All other criteria listed above must be met.
Ineligible
We do not accept requests from the following types of organizations (barring exceptions stated):
- Schools, houses of worship, or government organizations, except we will accept organizations or foundations that are fiscally sponsored by a school or church. Further, organizations or foundations created to support churches, schools, or government organizations are eligible if eligibility requirements are met.
- School groups such as PTAs, sport teams, band boosters, or other school affinity groups; Private foundations (filing a 990PF); Supporting organizations (charity status of 509(a)(3)); Public safety organizations (charity status of 509(a)(4)).
Participate in Big Day of Giving
Since 2013, hundreds of nonprofits in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties have raised millions of unrestricted dollars and advanced their impact in our community through their participation in Big Day of Giving. Even more, those organizations have used Big Day of Giving to build a cooperative, collaborative area nonprofit sector! Here are just some of the benefits of participation:
- Connect with current donors and, through your profile on this website, engage new ones at a time when nonprofits are front-and-center in our region.
- Build your organization’s ability to serve our community by participating in trainings to strengthen your team's capacity and skills.
- Collaborate with staff and volunteers from other local organizations to grow an inclusive, collaborative nonprofit sector.
Because nonprofits that participate in Big Day of Giving must have GivingEdge profiles, all organizations must meet the GivingEdge eligibility requirements listed in the table above. Additional registration requirements for participating nonprofits are subject to change each year.
Big Day of Giving 2024 is on Thursday, May 2, 2024! To be alerted when registration for Big Day of Giving 2024 opens, sign up for the Big Day of Giving Bulletin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of having a GivingEdge profile for my nonprofit?
A profile on GivingEdge gives your organization an "edge" in educating our community on the impact you make, offers donors the option to support your work by making gifts, and provides you access to top-of-the-line donor engagement tools and functionality.
What should I know about donations made on GivingEdge?
The minimum donation allowed is $15, and all major credit cards (Mastercard, Visa, Discover, American Express) are accepted. The transaction fee is 5.2% on all donations. The donation form offers donors the ability to offset the fee; if they opt to offset the fee, their total donation is increased by 5.2%. Donations are disbursed using eChecks, which you can learn more about here.
Do donors receive receipts for their donations?
Yes. An official tax receipt from the Sacramento Region Community Foundation is emailed to the donor within minutes. You do not need to provide additional tax information to the donor, though we urge you to send a "thank you" acknowledgment. If a donor does not receive the email or is in need of a duplicate receipt, please have them contact us.
If a donor gives through my organization's GivingEdge profile, when and how will I receive the funds?
GivingEdge donations are reconciled by the Sacramento Region Community Foundation and are sent via Deluxe eCheck to your organization within six weeks of the gift, though typically sooner. Gifts made during the Big Day of Giving donation window are processed and mailed before the end of June. For additional information, please click here.
What are the benefits of participating in Big Day of Giving?
There are many! Participating in Big Day of Giving offers opportunities for your organization to connect with current donors and, through your profile on this website, engage new ones at a time when nonprofits are front-and-center in our region; build your organization’s ability to serve our community by participating in trainings to strengthen your team's capacity and skills; and collaborate with staff and volunteers from other local organizations to grow an inclusive, collaborative nonprofit sector.
What is Big Day of Giving? When is the next Big Day of Giving and how can I register my nonprofit?
Coordinated by the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, Big Day of Giving is a day-long celebration of supporting the nonprofits that serve El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties—and that are listed right here, on this website! Since the first giving day in 2013, more than 50,000 donors have helped hundreds of local nonprofits raise over $91 million through the effort. The organizations that participate also benefit from year-round capacity-building opportunities.
The next Big Day of Giving is Thursday, May 2, 2024. To be alerted when registration for Big Day of Giving 2024 opens, please sign up for the Big Day of Giving Bulletin.
Can I have a profile on GivingEdge if I don't want to participate in Big Day of Giving?
Yes, you can have a GivingEdge profile and not participate in Big Day of Giving. Please note that, as long as it's updated annually, your GivingEdge profile will remain publicly visible on the site for most of the year, but it will be hidden from the site just before, during, and just after Big Day of Giving, to prevent confusion for donors.
Can my organization participate in Big Day of Giving if it doesn't register?
No. Only nonprofits with profiles on bigdayofgiving.org during the giving window are participants of Big Day of Giving. Big Day of Giving is a program of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, which owns the trademark and protects the investment that participating nonprofits and their supporters have made in the program's success by asking organizations that are not participants to refrain from implying otherwise. While such use may not be ill-intended, it causes confusion and dilutes the event's impact. Thank you for your understanding.
Can donors make gifts any time of the year on GivingEdge?
Yes, once your organization's GivingEdge profile is live on the site, it is equipped with donation capabilities and will accept gifts for most of the year, except for a period of time just before, during, and just after the Big Day of Giving giving window.
How do I access a list of donors to my organization? How do I update my GivingEdge profile?
You can access a list of donors to your organization and update the information on your GivingEdge profile by logging in to your GivingEdge account.
If I create a profile for Big Day of Giving, what happens to the profile after the event?
When you participate in Big Day of Giving, you are required to create a GivingEdge profile. Your "Big Day of Giving profile" and your GivingEdge profile are one and the same! After Big Day of Giving, your profile remains live on the website and can be accessed by visitors.
What are other ways my organization can partner with the Sacramento Region Community Foundation?
Though most of the grants the Foundation awards each year are directed by individuals, families, and organizations with charitable funds at the Foundation, we do manage a number of competitive grants. To learn more about these opportunities and to be alerted when they open, please visit the Foundation's website.
In addition, we offer charitable funds customized to meet the needs of nonprofits. By opening a charitable fund with the Foundation, nonprofits like yours can set aside funds to create long-term stability, plan for future growth, and add to the organization’s credibility with key donors. The Foundation works closely with the leadership of your organization to help establish a fund that supports your current and future goals. As an additional benefit, the Foundation handles the administration of the fund, leaving your staff and board free to focus on what matters — your mission. Learn more about establishing a charitable fund for your nonprofit on the Foundation's website.