Give Jefferson FAQs

+ What is Give Jefferson?

Give Jefferson is the United Good Neighbors’ 2018 Annual Campaign – PLUS!

This year, in addition to the traditional elements of the United Good Neighbors (UGN) campaign – the brochure, workplace giving campaigns and neighborhood outreach – there are some new features:

  • UGN is pleased to welcome Jefferson Community Foundation (JCF) as a presenting partner helping to manage the campaign;
  • ALL nonprofits in Jefferson County were invited to submit proposals;
  • There will also be an online Giving Catalog where the public will be invited to donate directly to participating nonprofits during the month of October 2018.

All funding sent to UGN via the brochure and workplace campaigns will remain dedicated to basic service organizations and UGN operations as it has been for over 60 years.

+ When is Give Jefferson?

Give Jefferson runs from October 1st, 2018 - December 31st, 2018.

+ Why Give Jefferson?

  • It was time for United Good Neighbors to try some new strategies.
  • The online Giving Catalog makes it possible for local donors to see the full landscape of our nonprofit community.
  • The new vetting process by a Community Outreach Team serves as a kind of “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval”, letting donors know that their contributions will have real impact.

+ How are Give Jefferson partners selected?

All Jefferson County nonprofits were allowed to submit one proposal for up to $25,000 for a program, project, or general operations.

All proposals first underwent an initial review by UGN and JCF staff to ensure that:

  • The organization qualified as a 501c3s or community-serving government entity;
  • The request amount is in line with the overall budget;
  • The proposed use of funds is realistic and likely to have impact.

The proposals that moved forward are currently being vetted by a Community Outreach Team made up of 20 local citizens who are reading and reviewing the proposals and undertaking site visits for each applicant. During the site visits, the Community Outreach Team assesses if:

  • The proposal addresses a proven need;
  • The qualifications and capacity of the nonprofit team is adequate;
  • The likelihood for success of the proposal is high;
  • The budget is realistic and appropriate; and
  • There is no duplication of services offered in Jefferson County for this service/request.

After site visits are complete, the Community Outreach Team will present their findings to each other and make final decisions. Give Jefferson participants will be announced on July 31st.

In the meantime, click here to view the 2018 applicants.

+ Who can donate to Give Jefferson?

Anyone! There are no donor restrictions. Anyone is eligible to donate to Give Jefferson via the brochure, workplace giving campaign, and/or online Giving Catalog.

+ Is my gift safe and secure?

Yes, your gift is safe and secure. We process credit card payments through Stripe. Please visit https://stripe.com/us/privacy for additional information.

+ Is there a minimum or maximum donation amount?

We welcome donations of any size. Your gift of $10, $100, or $1000 or more will help the community become stronger.

+ Are donations tax deductible?

Yes.

+ Will donors receive a tax receipt?

Yes, if you give online, an email with a tax receipt will automatically be emailed to you. If you give via the brochure or workplace giving campaign, a tax receipt will be mailed.

+ How are the donations allocated to the nonprofits?

Starting October 1st, Give Jefferson will begin to accept donations via the online Giving Catalog, workplace giving campaigns, and brochure.

For the month of October, donations can be allocated to the nonprofit partner of your choice via the online Giving Catalog.

Donations made through the brochure or workplace giving campaigns will be allocated to the United Good Neighbors General Fund and UGN operations, and any surplus will be allocated to proposals not fully funded through the online Giving Catalog.

Donations will be paid in full from UGN and JCF to Give Jefferson's nonprofit partners in January 2019.

+ How is the money handled?

Donations to Give Jefferson will be collected from October 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018.

OFFLINE DONATIONS: All funds collected offline - through workplace giving and brochure mailings - will be allocated to to basic needs organizations (like those who provide food, shelter and crisis prevention) and to the operations of UGN. (This is also the case with funds collected through the online “United Good Neighbors Fund”, where people can give if they don’t want to select a specific nonprofit.)

ONLINE DONATIONS: Donations made online by credit card will be collected by United Good Neighbors throughout the campaign. Credit card donations are processed through Stripe. Donors will have the choice to pay the Stripe credit card fee, at a discounted nonprofit rate, or pass it onto the nonprofit(s). The fee is based on each transaction, so there is no flat rate.

Here is what Stripe charges:

  • 2.2% + $0.30 Domestic Visa/Mastercard
  • 3.2% + $0.30 International Visa/Mastercard
  • 3.5% + $0 Domestic American Express
  • 4.5% + 0 International American Express

An additional 5% charge will be added to all donations to help fund UGN’s operating expenses.

UGN will collect and hold all monies throughout the campaign and will distribute them fully to our nonprofit partners at an event in January 2019. Nonprofits will also receive donor information, unless specified as anonymous, for donor recognition purposes.

+ Who is the contact for Give Jefferson?

The contact for nonprofits is Jen Kingfisher, Jen@jcfgives.org. The contact for donors is Siobhan Canty, siobhan@jcfgives.org.