Categories: Press Release
Date: Aug 9, 2010
Title: WARM UP THOSE THUMBS, TELLURIDE FOUNDATION’S TEXT-TO-GIVE CONTEST STARTS TODAY
The Telluride Foundation kicks off the new Text-To-Give Contest today, August 9 with three nonprofit environment and animal organizations. The New Community Coalition, Second Chance Humane Society, & San Miguel Basin Gunnison Sage-Grouse Working Group were selected to represent the environment and animals organizations in the third of four rounds of the Text-to-Give Contest the Foundation will hold in 2010. These organizations were selected based on their mission and their plan to rally supporters and public to send a $5 text donation. Texting starts today, August 9 and continues through September 6. Telluride Foundation will match, dollar-for-dollar, the donations raised by each participating organization up to $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $300 for 3rd place.
"The three organizations are excited about this opportunity to fundraise through texting and have even created a website around the contest at http://texttogive.webs.com/ ," said Paul Major, President & CEO of the Telluride Foundation. "We hope the community supports the fundraising contest and gives these groups a much needed boost in funds and awareness."
The Telluride Foundation will hold a total four of text-to-give contests during 2010 and will match dollar for dollar the amount of donations received by the top fundraising organization, up to $2,000 per contest. The last Nonprofit Text-To-Give Contest category for 2010 is Early Childhood Development & Education which will run from November 25 -December 31.
The Text-to-Give Contest is an opt-in only, voluntary means for nonprofits to raise donations and communicate with new and existing donors through mobile phone text messaging. A donor hears or sees a donation request, responds by texting the four letter code of the organization they want to support - "TNCC" for The New Community Coalition, "SCHS" for the Second Chance Humane Society, and "BIRD" for the Gunnison Sage Grouse Group to 90999, and confirms their donation by replying to the text message they receives back by texting YES. Upon confirmation, the $5 charge is added to the donor's mobile-phone bill. The charge appears as a tax-deductible donation to the charity of choice on the donor's bill, which can be used as a receipt. The donation is collected by the wireless carrier when the donor pays her next mobile-phone bill. For more information about the Text-to-Give Context, contact the Telluride Foundation or email: april@telluridefoundation.org.
The Telluride Foundation exists to create a stronger Telluride community through the cultivation and promotion of philanthropy. It is a nonprofit, apolitical community foundation that provides year-round support for local organizations involved in arts, education, athletics, charitable causes, land conservation and other community-based efforts through technical assistance, education and grant making. As a grant maker, the Foundation awards grants to qualified applicants that serve the people living and/or working in the Telluride region for the purpose of enhancing the quality of life within the region. For more information on the Telluride Foundation, visit www.telluridefoundation.org.
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