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Registration for 2021 Cattaraugus Gives open,webinar slated for Sept. 24

Tue, Aug 17th 2021 10:00 am

Cattaraugus Gives, a day of giving for the Cattaraugus County area, led by the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation, will return on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 for the fifth consecutive year.

Registration for this year is now open at cattaraugusgives.org

Cattaraugus Gives is an exciting 24-hour online fundraising event joining nonprofits from across the Cattaraugus County community in both competition and collaboration. The online fundraising event gives nonprofits the chance to compete for cash prizes sponsored by area businesses and CRCF, to obtain new donors and to raise awareness for their missions and causes, all with the overall goal of making Cattaraugus County a better place to live, work and play.

In 2020, 70 participating nonprofits together raised $252,942 from 1,273 donors. Area businesses and CRCF together sponsored over $14,000 in prize money for participating nonprofits.

Participation in the program is open to any 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization in Cattaraugus County and CRCF funds.

According to CRCF Executive Director Karen Niemic Buchheit, Cattaraugus Gives came at a critical time in 2020, and she believes it may be just as important for area nonprofits this year.

“In the  time leading up to Cattaraugus Gives last year, many of the participating nonprofits’ physical locations were closed, and many had to cancel their main fundraisers for the year – all while continuing to provide essential services to residents of Cattaraugus County,” said Buchheit. “Raising over a quarter million dollars at that time was a critical boost.

“But as we begin to emerge from the economic impact of the pandemic and face the uncertainty of what is to come, Cattaraugus Gives can again play an important role in the recovery of our nonprofits and our community as a whole,” she continued

CRCF will also offer a webinar, “Practices for Cattaraugus Gives Success: From your peers,” on Friday, September 24, from noon to 1 p.m. The webinar will feature panelists from Empire Animal Rescue Society, YMCA of the Twin Tiers and Olean City School District Foundation, all of whom have found success through the Cattaraugus Gives fundraising model.

In the webinar, the participants will share tips for marketing, fundraising and competing for cash prizes with their peers.

Registration for the session is open at cattfoundation.org/nonprofit-link-and-learn-series.

Additionally, there will be a $100 prize drawing for organizations registered for Cattaraugus Gives by the Sept. 24 webinar.

CRCF will also again be seeking sponsorships from businesses in the community to provide more prize opportunities. Businesses interested in sponsoring a prize can contact the Foundation at [email protected] or 716-301-2723.

Established in 1994, CRCF is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in the region. Grants from the foundation support many areas, including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human service, and youth development. To learn more, call (716) 301-CRCF (2723), email [email protected], or visit online at www.cattfoundation.org. CRCF is also on Facebook (facebook.com/cattfoundation) and Twitter (@CattFoundation).