Update: Amplify Austin surpassed its goal, raising approximately $2.8 million for more than 300 local nonprofit organizations.
"This $2,796,151 is a testament to the passion our community has for our nonprofits and our shared desire to give where we live and become number one on the most giving city list, as well," said Patsy Martin, founder of I Live Here, I Give Here, in a statement.
Original Story
An online day of philanthropy is attempting to crank up giving in Austin to 11.
Amplify Austin, which launches March 4 at 7 p.m., aims to raise $1 million for local nonprofits within 24 hours. Donors will be able to go online to https://amplifyaustin.s3.amazonaws.com/index.html and donate to one or more of more than 300 nonprofits until March 5 at 7 p.m.
Amplify Austin is the brainchild of I Live Here, I Give Here, a nonprofit aimed at elevating the level of personal philanthropy and engagement throughout Central Texas, according to founder Patsy Martin. I Live Here, I Give Here has been focused on organizing Amplify Austin for a year, Martin said.
"We felt like this program would be a great match for this young, wired community," she said.
Donations made during Amplify Austin will be proportionally matched by the University Federal Credit Union and Austin Community Foundation, which underwrote a $160,000 pool of funding to Amplify Austin. Also, during every hour of Amplify Austin, the nonprofits that have the most donors or raised the most money for that hour will receive a $1,000 bonus, which comes from 48 separate sponsors.
When I Live Here, I Give Here formed in 2007, Austin ranked 44th out of the largest 50 cities for the percentage of disposable income donated to charity, Martin said. Although Austin has since moved up to rank 32nd in 2012, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Martin said she thinks the community can still do better.
"The nonprofits across this community ... enrich the community and meet the needs that many individuals have and that the government is not meeting," she said. "The nonprofits give us a vehicle to change other peoples' lives across the community."
