The online giving campaign focuses on raising support for local nonprofits in the 20-county region of North Texas. This year, the giving season started Sept. 1 and ends at midnight Sept. 19.
In 2009, Communities Foundation of Texas launched North Texas Giving Day with a goal of growing community giving.
“There are more than 100 Dallas-based nonprofits who have been participating every year since the inception in 2009,” Nicole Paquette, Communities Foundation of Texas senior director, communications, public relations, and external affairs, said in an email. “It expanded to include Fort Worth in 2010, and the impact now spans across 20 North Texas counties and 25 cause areas.”
Past honorary chairs include former First Lady Laura Bush, Cynt Marshall, and Dirk and Jessica Nowitzki.
The annual event, hosted by Communities Foundation of Texas, raised over $60 million dollars through 97,132 donors benefitting over 3,000 local nonprofits in 2023, according to a Communities Foundation of Texas news release. It has also become the largest regional fundraising event in the nation, the release stated
What’s new
This year, a quiz was added to the website to help match people's interests and passions to a cause. The quiz can help individuals determine a cause to donate to based on preferred cause category, organization size and location.
Nonprofits are divided into four categories: small, medium and large nonprofits, and schools. North Texas Food Bank, which is in the large nonprofit category, raised $1,468,084 in 2023 and was the top North Texas Giving Day fundraiser.
Church Music Organization raised $134,761 and were the top fundraiser in the small category. Westlake Academy Foundation raised $1,051,56 and was the top fundraiser in the medium organization and school categories.
The scoreboard can be viewed here.
Zooming in
Texas Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe is this year’s North Texas Giving Day Ambassador.
According to a news release, Lowe’s mother Wendy was diagnosed with brain cancer last year.
“There’s so much that goes into a cancer journey,” Lowe said in a news release. “For many people, it’s such a financial burden, and it shouldn’t be. It’s hard enough physically, spiritually, and emotionally and can weigh on everyone involved. It takes nine players to win a baseball game, and it takes multiple people to help someone through a cancer journey, so this hits home for me.”
What else
Earlier this year, Communities Foundation of Texas launched a series of spring fundraising campaigns using the North Texas Giving Day platform that offered 1:1 matching funds.
“[Communities Foundation of Texas] worked with local partners to offer matching funds for North Texas nonprofits advancing the arts, economic security, mental health and animals,” Paquette, said. “These campaigns encouraged community members to give locally and doubled the impact of their dollars."
Get involved
Donations can be made through the North Texas Giving Day website via credit card, ApplePay, GooglePay, PayPal or Venmo. For more information, visit www.northtexasgivingday.org.
