Give Miami Day is an annual event organized by The Miami Foundation that highlights hundreds of local nonprofits and encourages locals to donate to those groups.
Last year Miamians donated more than $7 million to almost 600 nonprofits across Miami-Dade, making it the biggest annual giving event in the southeastern United States, according to the foundation.
If you want to take part and help fund one of Miami’s many non-profits, it’s as easy as popping open your laptop. Here’s how you can get in on the action.
How do I get started?
Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 17, go to givemiamiday.org. Look through hundreds of nonprofit profiles, pick one, two, or all of them, and make a minimum donation of $25 per organization.
How do the nonprofits get picked?
Give Miami Day includes nonprofits doing work on everything from arts to housing, disability services, education and animal care. This year there are nearly 670 nonprofits you can donate to. (You can check them out here to do some research ahead of the big day.)
Nonprofits register here to be included. To qualify they must provide programs/services in Miami-Dade County, be a public charity, or have a pre-approved philanthropic fund at The Miami Foundation, and be state certified. They also have to have a profile on The Miami Foundation’s website, Nonprofit Central.
If all of those qualifications are met, The Miami Foundation then has the final editorial approval of all profiles submitted.
When did Give Miami Day start?
Give Miami Day started in 2012, which means this year marks the 5th anniversary of the event. It’s an initiative by The Miami Foundation to promote philanthropy in Miami. Hundreds of other cities have similar “Give Days” around the country.
Will my donation get matched?
Yep. There are a few ways your donation will be amplified.
- There are two minutes throughout the day – 7:10 a.m. and at 3:05 p.m. – when any donations between $25 and $100 dollars will get a 100 percent match. Editor’s note: The time has been corrected.
The * : Miami FC is sponsoring this with $15,000 split into two $7,500 pools per minute. - Once that pool runs out or the minute is over, the matching stops. There’s a bonus pool that gets distributed at the end. Several sponsors contributed to create this bonus pool — to give you a ballpark number, last year it was $500,000. This year is TBD, but at the end of the day that lump sum is divided and distributed to the nonprofits. Nonprofts get a bonus gift for every donation between $25 and $10,000. For example, if there are 100 total donations across the board, the lump sum is divided into a 100 parts. If organization A gets 30 donations, it gets 30 bonus gifts.
TL;DR The more donations a nonprofit gets, the more bonus money it gets. - The Miami Marlins are also giving out a bunch of prizes to organizations at select times, and when they reach certain milestones. Check out the full list here.
The American Red Cross is a part of Give Miami Day.Miami Rescue Mission is a part of Give Miami Day.
Last week we asked you to share where you would be giving on Nov. 17 and why. Here’s some inspo for the rest of you.
Florida Foster Care Review
“I am giving to Florida Foster Care Review, because the organization works to ensure that Miami-Dade’s foster children are properly cared for, safe, and have a chance at a better future. FCR creates panels of community volunteers to review cases of foster children that have to go before a court twice a year. These panels serve as additional oversight in a system that is overburdened and they make sure no kid falls through the cracks.”
— Kelly Penton
Communities In Schools of Miami
“I’m giving to Communities In Schools of Miami (CIS Miami) for one simple reason – to support the mission of ensuring that all children can graduate high school. Most kids drop out for reasons that lie outside of the classrooms. By providing meals outside of school hours, vision care, mentoring, tutoring, internships, uniforms and more, CIS Miami ensures that all children have the opportunity to succeed.”
— Isabel Fernandez
City Year Miami
“I give to City Year because every student deserves the same opportunities to be successful in school. The same attention care and support all students have the right to. City Year works to stop the dropout crisis and keep our students on track to graduate via attendance, behavior and course performance initiatives in math and english. I am a very proud product of the MDCPS public school system and I feel deeply connected to this community. I have had the privilege to have been working for City Year for 2 years and a champion since their inception. A gift to them is a gift that will help affect the lives of nearly 7,000 students daily in MDCPS at 17 schools. Help us put more red jackets in schools and help us continue to #MakeBetterHappen”
— Franklin Gentle McCune
Planned Parenthood
“This organization provides critical reproductive/sexual healthcare to women (and men) and is under threat of being defunded due to the abortion services provided. With Trump vowing to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which requires health insurance companies to cover some forms of birth control, and the defunding of Planned Parenthood, the amount of options available for women to take control of their reproductive health is minimal. People should have access to the care they need. Period.”
— Charlotte Zoda
Historic Hampton House Trust
“It was the epicenter of civil rights activism and a mecca of jazz legends in the late 50s and early 60s. … We are trying to create a multicultural musical and cultural center to foment both a revival of jazz and jazz fusion by providing a venue where young musicians and jazz masters can make music together for the enjoyment of a diverse audience. The HHH has plans to dedicate rooms to Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mohammed Ali, for historic interpretation of Miami’s unique Black history. Both men were frequent visitors.”
— Kathy Hersh
Catalyst Miami
“I started volunteering with Catalyst Miami while recovering from a neurological disease which had previously left me bedridden and living in a nursing home as a young woman. … Catalyst Miami offered me the opportunity to rediscover civic life and leadership, and provided an empowering space to share the miracle and nightmare of my healthcare story. In an effort to advocate for those suffering from health-related issues in Florida, and in conjunction with partnering organizations from Florida and Washington D.C., I have spoken publicly at events, press conferences, and legislative sessions in Tallahassee. … As I have been reminded through my work with Catalyst Miami, the results of giving are often life-changing for others, but the life most changed may be your own.”
— Laurie Scop
MUJER, Inc.
“I am giving to MUJER, Inc. because of their work with families who suffer from domestic violence and/or sexual abuse. I have personally seen how they are transforming lives from victims to survivors. #couragetoheal-strengthtosurvive.”
— Susan
Generation
“On Give Miami Day I am thrilled to give to the McKinsey Social Initiative “Generation”. While there are many Global social issues, I find youth unemployment to be the one I am most passionate about. Generation’s understanding of the clear need to inspire our youth-train and employ them, makes me feel like there’s hope for the future. We need our youth inspired, skilled and working! Really grateful that this program exists and is improving our world one youth at a time. Thanks Generation.”
— Rachel Jenkins
I hate the interwebs. Can I give in person?
Not really. Donations are only being accepted via credit card through this website.
BUT it’s mobile responsive so you can donate on your phone after you meet some of the participating nonprofits. They’ll be at The Miami Foundation’s Community Block Party at 5 p.m. It’s happening on Thurs. Nov. 17 (Give Miami Day) at The Porch during the Miami Book Fair. (We’ll be there too, hosting our Miami Noir event)
Any other way I can help for free?
Spread awareness by making your own twibbon (a picture with a banner advertising Give Miami day) with this link and join the twitter party using #GiveMiamiDay starting at 11 p.m. on Nov. 16. The party continues up to the midnight mark kickstarting Give Miami Day on Nov. 17.