Press Release: First Pick.Click.Give. Campaign Called a Success — April 2009
ANCHORAGE – The Alaska Giving Coalition has announced preliminary results from the first Pick. Click. Give. campaign. The new program allowed Alaskans filing on-line for their 2009 Permanent Fund Dividend to give all or part of it to qualifying nonprofit organizations, community foundations or campuses of the University of Alaska.
According to preliminary figures from the Alaska Department of Revenue, 5,163 Alaskans filing on-line selected the option to give to a nonprofit. Those Alaskans made a total of 7,572 donations – some choosing to give to more than one organization. The approximate total for the amount donated is $545,000. Specific organization contribution totals and the final figure will be available in October when dividend checks are determined and disbursed.
“We were optimistic that Alaskans would respond to this new way of giving to their favorite nonprofits,” Alaska Giving Coalition Chair Jim Caldarola said. “We are thankful to each and every individual donor who chose to make a charitable contribution with part of their dividend check. It shows a wonderful commitment by Alaskans for Alaska nonprofits.”
More than 330 organizations qualified for the 2009 program and represented the diversity of nonprofits around the state. Each met a series of criteria laid out in the law establishing the program, which was passed by the Alaska State Legislature in May 2008. The program is authorized for three years, at which time it will be evaluated and the legislature will decide whether to continue it.
Caldarola credits the participating nonprofits for helping the program succeed. “They reached out to their existing stakeholders through newsletters, websites and emails to spread the word about Pick. Click. Give. They recognized that their ability to communicate about the impact of their mission to their constituents makes a powerful difference in their ability to raise resources.
A new application process is currently taking place to qualify organizations for the 2010 program. Nonprofits must apply again this year, even if they were part of the 2009 program. Information and application forms are available at www.PickClickGive.org, by calling 1-888-785-GIFT (4438) or by emailing pfdinfo@forakergroup.org.
The 2009 Pick. Click. Give. public awareness campaign was made possible through financial support from the Rasmuson Foundation, the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, ConocoPhillips and BP. The Alaska Giving Coalition, The Foraker Group and the United Way of Anchorage are working with the Rasmuson Foundation and the Department of Revenue to implement the program.