401Gives has set a new bar as this year’s edition raised more money for more Rhode Island nonprofits than ever before. The Ocean State’s largest philanthropic effort on behalf of its nonprofit sector raised $3,758,175 million to benefit 597 different organizations. A staggering 16,557 individual donors made 24,321 gifts.
“We topped every previous number – what an incredible display of generosity for organizations that bring so much to our communities and to all of us who call Rhode Island home,” said Cortney Nicolato, United Way’s president and CEO. “That we continue to reach new heights with 401Gives only proves how essential our nonprofits and their missions truly are.”
401Gives began bright and early on Monday, April 1, with donations rolling in as of 6 a.m. A special “early bird” $25,000 matching gift presented by Rhode Island Foundation was met in less than 15 seconds. By 11 a.m. Monday, 401Gives had surpassed the million-dollar mark, as its done each year since inception in 2020. Just five hours later, at 4 p.m., 401Gives moved past $2 million.
Where 401Gives revolves around April 1 – paying homage to Rhode Island’s only zip code – the effort has become foundational to local nonprofits’ year-round fundraising. Many organizations plan their 401Gives strategies months in advance to secure and leverage matching opportunities, encourage peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, and maximize the way in which the day takes over social media locally. The more donors that nonprofits engage, the greater their opportunity to steward and build long-term relationships to sustain their work.
“There’s power in numbers, and never is that more evident than during 401Gives,” said Nancy Wolanski, director of the Alliance for Nonprofit Impact at United Way of RI. “This is all about amplifying the totality of what our nonprofits mean to our state while equipping them with the resources that help ensure the programs and services they provide to our fellow Rhode Islanders continue. This also is support for a sector that’s a vital economic and workforce driver in our state.”
An impressive 91 organizations raised $10,000 or more, while 167 nonprofits topped $5,000. At the top of the leaderboard was Foster Forward with $233,490 raised, followed by Audubon Society of Rhode Island at $104,407, and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center with $94,492. The Alliance of RI Southeast Asians for Education engaged the most donors at 595.
In its five years, 401Gives has now raised more than $14 million.
