Making Fairfield County a Better Place to Live

Fiona Hodgson, Vice President Development & Marketing at Fairfield County’s Community Foundation last Friday reintroduced Sunrise Rotary to this nonprofit and asked club members to join in its 2nd Annual Giving Day on March 5th.

The event will be “24 hrs to give where you live.” Its goal is to raise $1 million through online donations of $10 or more at fcgives.org. FCCF forecasts support from 10,000 donors for over 300 nonprofits, 24 of which are Westport based.

The inaugural event successfully raised over $750,000 from more than 5,000 people for 267 nonprofits.

Carole Schwartz, Manager of Corporate and Foundation Relations, called Giving Days “A growing trend across the country,” and an “opportunity for nonprofits to increase their visibility, strengthen their brand and attract new donors.”

FCCF continues to seek corporate sponsorships for Giving Day, in amounts from $1,000 to $25,000. 100 percent of sponsor funds, Schwartz said, will fund a prize pool, and motivate donors and nonprofits alike. The biggest single prize will go to the organization that attracts the most unique donors. Others will be awarded for the most money raised during “power hours.”

Sponsors will be encouraged to get their employees personally involved, then ask each to get their customers, clients and their own networks involved.

She said all of last year’s sponsors are returning, and new ones are being added - and injecting even more prize money.

FCCF is also appealing to local non-profits to register and become eligible to receive training in building their brand, raising excitement about their cause and learning how to use social networking to build their donor base.

Giving Day is already being publicized on WEBE 108 Social Media Team Leader R. J. Mercede told the group. He added they are using “Everything from traditional print to guerrilla marketing like flash mobs and partnerships” with the Bridgeport Bluefish and the Danbury Whalers. They are also using banners similar to the one over Main Street, as well as library and Chamber of Commerce partners in Westport and other communities.

Bottom line: Giving Day seeks to “Make Fairfield County a better place to live.”

Ms. Hodgson said today’s FCCF was begun in 1992 when a number of small southern Fairfield County community foundations merged with the Fairfield County Foundation. In 2008 the Greater Bridgeport Area Foundation merged to form what is today’s FCCF.

The organization’s mission is to “promote philanthropy as a means to create change in Fairfield County, focusing on innovative and collaborative solutions to critical issues impacting the community.”

It is “Focused on improving the quality of life for all Fairfield County residents, to build community where everybody thrives.” Since is inception the Foundation has granted $180 million to local nonprofits. It awards grants to some 625 nonprofits annually. FCCF manages assets of $185 million in 540 funds, and last year earned 15 percent on these funds.

FCCF serves its funding clients by providing “philanthropic expertise” - performing research, doing back office work and managing the donation and grantmaking processes.

Hodgson said her organization is focusing on four important initiatives in addition to Giving Day: The Fund for Women and Girls, which works with middle and high school girls build confidence and leadership skills that “will help women achieve economic security.”

Second, “Thrive by 25,” which helps 18 to 24 year olds become self-sufficient and earn a living wage by the time they’re 25.

Third, Affordable Housing, which “ties in with the first two,” and seeks to reduce the number of young people who spend 30 percent or more of their income on rent.

Fourth, the Center for Nonprofit Excellence. Nonprofits are a growing segment of the County’s economic infrastructure. FCCF works with a great many to strengthen their strategic planning, budgeting, and fundraising capabilities, and to teach them to use social media to increase visibility and recruit board members .

To learn more about Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, link to http://www.fccfoundation.org/cm/Home.html.