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Participant Requirements & Application
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, May 1, 2020 at 5pm
The 2020 application period has closed.
We are excited to return this year with Long Beach Gives on September 24, 2020. Due to COVID-19 and the unprecedented impact it is having on the nonprofit sector, we understand that your responses are based on current information. As events progress, please contact us with any relevant new developments.
A few things to consider before beginning your application:
- All organizations are asked to view an information video before applying, even if your organization participated in the past. This video will provide an overview of Long Beach Gives and provide an opportunity to ask questions about this year’s campaign, the participant requirements, and the application.
- We recommend you review the participation requirements and refer to the FAQs if you have any questions, however feel free to contactr us as well.
- Please note that you will not be able to edit this application or save an “in-progress’ version, so please be prepared to submit once you begin the process. We’ve made the application short and it shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes to complete. There is also a downloadable PDF version of the participation requirements and application for your review
If you are unsure about your organizations eligibility or have questions about your application, please message us in the chat box below. You can also contact Niko Galvez, the Campaign Director by email or phone at 562-645-6476.
Save the Date: Orientation Sessions
Online Orientations and Mandatory for Selected 2020 Participants
Nonprofits that are selected to participate in Long Beach Gives 2020 are asked to join two online orientation sessions to learn more about what participating organizations can anticipate this year. We’ve split the orientation into two online sessions to cover everything and be available for questions. Please be prepared to attend both, however we will record the orientations and make them available for later viewing.
Registration links will be emailed to 2020 participants but please save the date on your calendars:
- Orientation Session I on Tuesday, May 19th, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
- Orientation Session II on Thursday, May 28th, 10:00 am to 11:00 am
Eligibility to Apply
- Be a registered 501 (c) 3 tax exempt organization for at least two years by April 1, 2020 and be prepared to provide a copy of your tax determination letter, if requested.
- If your organization utilizes a fiscal sponsor, be prepared to provide a copy of their 501 (c) 3 tax determination letter, if requested.
- The following organizations are not eligible to participate at this time:
- Schools, churches or government organizations. If your organization is fiscally sponsored by a school or church, and meets the eligibility requirements, you are eligible to participate.
- School groups such as PTAs, sports teams, band boosters or other affinity groups.
- Private foundations filing IRS Form 990PF.
- Supporting organizations with a charity status of 509 (a) 3.
- Public safety organizations with a charity status of 509 (a) 4.
- Be prepared to provide the last two years of one of the following: IRS Form 990 or 990EZ, or 990N, if requested.
- If your organization utilizes a fiscal sponsor, be prepared to provide their filings, if requested.
- Have a program site address that is actively operating and providing program services within Long Beach.
- Dedicate from 20 to 40 hours over the next five months to make Long Beach Gives as successful as possible for your organization. Active participation by each organization benefits the entire campaign and is a factor in being selected in the future.
Participant Requirements
- Selected organizations will be asked to participate in the following mandatory orientations and trainings (which due to recent events will be provided as an online webinar with a live Q&A but will also be recorded for later viewing).
- Campaign Information Session: provides selected participants an overview of how to best set your organization up for a successful campaign and how our team will support your efforts.
- Fundraising Platform Training: provides instruction on how to set-up your organization’s fundraising page and utilize the platform’s reporting, donor, and giving day dashboard.
- Peer Fundraiser Training: provides instruction on how to set up peer fundraising pages for your organization.
- Dedicate someone from your organization to represent you as your Long Beach Gives Champion. Their role is very important to the success of your campaign and is as follows:
- Be the point-of-contact for the Long Beach Gives team for communications, possible logistical campaign questions and to provide items (logos, photos, etc) for overall promotional efforts on social media, press, etc.
- Steer your organization’s effort throughout the campaign towards its fundraising goal.
- Set-up and regularly maintain your organization’s fundraising page.
- We will provide training on how to develop your organization’s fundraising page by adding your logo, description (mission, services, etc), photos, and other promotional items.
- Check out last year’s pages for an example. Please note this format may change, although the general content requested will be the same.
- Promote your organization on social media, through emails, and other platforms.
- Recruit and support your organization’s supporters and networks, including staff, board of directors, volunteers and donors, to become peer fundraisers for your 2020 campaign efforts.
- Most importantly, champion your fundraising goal!
Highly Encouraged Recommendations for Greater Success
- Attendance by your organization’s Champion to marketing trainings and campaign workshops provided at no-cost to Long Beach Gives participants. While other staff may be invited to attend, organizations found that consistent attendance by their Champion contributed highly to their fundraising success.
- As an example of the learning opportunities you can expect, last year’s topics included; online marketing strategy, creating video and photography content for social media, increasing your social media presence, recruiting and supporting volunteer peer fundraisers, incorporating the power of storytelling into your campaign, and hands-on campaign workshops with the Long Beach Gives team.
- Due to recent events, the training dates and times will be finalized and provided to the Champion at the orientation and will be a combination of online and in-person sessions as safety permits. We will do our best to keep to this traning schedule, however, thank you for your understanding as some may change due to events beyond our control. However, they will all be recorded and available for later viewing.
- Become an Organizational Member of The Nonprofit Partnership (TNP) for access to professional development, training, consulting, sector updates, and access to a network of community based organizations and nonprofits.
- By joining TNP, you are supporting training efforts not covered by sponsorships and grants associated with Long Beach Gives.
Participant Selection Process
An independent selection panel will choose from eligible organizations that submit applications by the deadline. Due to capacity limitation, some organizations will not be selected even though they may meet the criteria. Successful participants will be selected that:
- Represent a range of organizations from grassroots to national in scope, diversified funding base, variety of program types, fund development experience, program capacity, social media expertise, number of years delivering services, impact and demand of mission critical services.
- Represent a variety of populations served by your programs and services, including but not limited to age, race, zip code, and diverse communities.
- Present a compelling appeal to donors.
Benefits of Participating in Long Beach Gives
- Raise unrestricted funds from the broader community, utilizing a crowdfunding campaign.
- Learn fundraising techniques, tools and tips that will not only be utilized during Long Beach Gives but can support your ongoing efforts. Organizations gain skills such as leveraging social media; donor and board engagement; fundraising and marketing methods; goal setting; capacity building; and more.
- Be provided with marketing assets that set you up for fundraising success such as a toolkit with social media graphics, promotional templates and a giving day work plan.
Long Beach Gives helps people find, learn about and contribute to the causes they believe in while enabling nonprofits to share their stories and engage the community through a unique online giving platform. Organizations participating in Long Beach Gives have the opportunity to be part of a citywide marketing campaign that puts a spotlight on the community’s nonprofits that positively impact and enhance where we live, work and play!
The 2020 application period has closed. Please contact info@longbeachgives.org if you have any questions.
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