Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties to hold annual day-of-giving event in September

UTICA, N.Y. — The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties announced Wednesday that it will hold its first-ever day of giving on Sept. 20.

Dubbed “Mohawk Valley Gives,” the 24-hour event provides area nonprofits a free platform to build donor enthusiasm for their organizations.

“Building greater community generosity is at the heart of what we do,” Alicia Fernandez Dicks, president and CEO of the Community Foundation, said in a press release. “Pair that with our responsibility to ensure that nonprofits have the tools and resources needed to care for the community, and the result led us to the concept of a community giving day that brings all partners together for the greater good. We want to encourage nonprofits to make the most of this opportunity, and our team will be there along the way to help guide their giving-day efforts.”

Along with the 24-hour push for support, a giving day incentivizes participation from donors to activate prizes that will be awarded to nonprofits throughout the day. Mohawk Valley Gives will use the online giving platform GiveGab.

The Community Foundation will brief nonprofit partners in the two-county region via a Zoom webinar on May 3. Organizations may register at givemv.org. Registration for the September giving event begins May 23.

“We’ve been a partner with the Community Foundation for some time now,” Bob Keller, chair of Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust, said. “Mohawk Valley Gives is a great opportunity for our organization to increase public awareness of our mission, provide educational experiences for youth, and above all, gain some additional funding to help make what we do possible.”

The success of the venture will depend on the support of community partners, according to Nick Grimmer, the Community Foundation’s director of giving strategies. “Donors who would like to help fundraise on behalf of a favorite organization, businesses who want to sponsor the event, board members and residents who want to give back to the community — everyone can help Mohawk Valley Gives rally around the nonprofit organizations that do so much in Herkimer and Oneida counties,” he said.

The plan is for Mohawk Valley Gives to become the two-county community’s annual giving day, Dicks says.

More information about Mohawk Valley gives is online at givemv.org.