Dakota Medical Foundation announces an official total of $10,692,653 raised through Giving Hearts Day. In celebrations held recently in Fargo and Bismarck, charities were recognized for success in fundraising, marketing and general excellence.
Here are the Top 10 fundraisers for large- and small-budget nonprofits.
Top 10 Large Charity Fundraisers (Operating Budget greater than $500,000/year)
- YWCA Cass Clay, Fargo
- Oak Grove Lutheran School, Fargo
- New Life Center, Fargo
- Anne Carlsen Center, Jamestown, N.D. (TIE)
- TNT Kid’s Fitness & Gymnastics, Fargo (TIE)
- Churches United for the Homeless, Moorhead
- John Paul II Catholic Schools, Fargo
- Great Plains Food Bank, Fargo
- RiverView Foundation, Crookston, Minn.
- Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, Minot, N.D.
- Unseen, Fargo (TIE)
- YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties (TIE)
Top 10 Small Charity Fundraisers (Operating Budget under $500,000/year)
- The Arts Partnership, Fargo
- Red River Children’s Advocacy Center, Fargo
- Gianna’s Maternity Home, Minto, N.D.
- Gateway to Science, Bismarck, N.D.
- Jail Chaplains, Fargo
- Jamestown Regional Medical Foundation, Jamestown, N.D.
- Emergency Food Pantry, Fargo
- 4 Luv of Dog Rescue, Fargo
- Cat’s Cradle Shelter, Inc., Fargo
- Dakota Hope Clinic, Minot, N.D.
Charity fundraising results are reported individually by the organizations to their donors and communities.
Giving Hearts Day was held February 9, with 360 charitable causes participating and 50,920 individual donations made. The event spans the entire state of North Dakota and western Minnesota. It was started by DMF and Impact Foundation in 2008, and to date has raised more than $41 million for charity. Alex Stern Family Foundation joined as a co-host in 2014.
Recognized for attracting donors from the most US States in the large and small charity categories respectively were Oak Grove (31) and 4 Luv of Dog (46). Recognized for attracting donors from the most North Dakota communities in large and small categories respectively were 4-H Foundation (128) and Saint Gianna’s Maternity Home (109). The same honor for Minnesota communities went to RiverView Health Foundation (41) in the large charity category and 4 Luv of Dog (50) in small. uCodeGirl was honored for receiving donations from every continent.
Four organizations were honored as first-time Giving Hearts Day participants raising $30,000 or more: Camp of the Cross, Audubon Dakota, Wellspring for the World and Younglife Fargo-Moorhead
Camp of the Cross was honored as the first-time participant with the most individual donors: 196.
Camp of the Cross and Audubon Dakota were honored as first time participants receiving a single gift of $10,000 or more from at least one donor.
Honored for having the largest percentage growth in new individual donors: Kamp KACE, Lutheran Social Services of ND, Make-A-Wish Foundation of ND, Northern Plains Dance and Williston Trinity Christian School.
Honored for having the largest percentage fundraising increase over last year: Red River Valley Gymnastics (614% increase) and Jamestown Regional Medical Center (277% increase).
In 2016, DMF honored 26 organizations for raising $20,000 or more and increasing previous year’s fundraising by greater than 30 percent. This year, 67 organizations achieved that benchmark: 4 Luv of Dog Rescue, American Cancer Society – Relay for Life, American Diabetes Association (Camp Sioux), American Heart Association, Anne Carlsen Center, Badlands Ministries, Bismarck Cancer Center Foundation, Boys & Girls Club of Detroit Lakes and Perham, CHARISM, Circle of Friends Humane Society, Community Violence Intervention Center (CVIC), Creative Care for Reaching Independence (CCRI), Dakota Hope Clinic, Diamond in the Ruff Pet Rescue, Eastern North Dakota Synod, ELCA; Elks Camp Grassick, Emergency Food Pantry, Empire Arts Center, Family HealthCare Center, Fargo Public Schools Development Foundation, Fargo-Moorhead Opera, Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra, Farm Rescue, First Step Recovery of The Village, FirstLink, Grace Lutheran School, HandiWheels, HOPE, Inc.; Imagine Thriving, Jail Chaplains, Jamestown (ND) Regional Medical Center, Kamp KACE, Lakes Crisis & Resource Center, Lutheran Social Services of ND, Make-A-Wish Foundation of ND, Mind Shift, Missouri Valley Family YMCA, Nelson County Health System, New Life Center, North Dakota Autism Center, North Dakota Teen Challenge, Northern Plains Dance, Plains Art Museum, Riverside Christian School, RiverView Health Foundation, Rural Cass County Emergency Food Pantry, Sacred Heart Benedictine Foundation, Salvation Army Fargo-Moorhead, Scottish Rite Language Center, Shiloh Christian School, Special Olympics North Dakota, St. Ann’s Indian Mission, Saint Gianna’s Maternity Home, St. John Paul II Catholic Schools Network, St. John’s Academy, Sunshine Memorial Foundation, The Arts Partnership, The GOD’S CHILD Project, Theatre B, Unity Medical Center Foundation, University of Jamestown, Valley Christian Counseling Center, Valley Senior Service, Williston Trinity Christian School, YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties, Youthworks and YWCA Cass Clay.
The DMF Brady Oberg Legacy Fund swept the charitable fund honors with most dollars raised ($44,128), greatest number of donors (365) donations from most states (20), donations from most North Dakota and Minnesota communities (80) and donation from the farthest distance (Australia). Other charitable funds rewarded for fundraising were: DMF Matthew Traynor Memorial Fund, DMF Sinner Bresnahan Healthy Kids Initiative Fund, DMF Justin’s Break the Silence Fund, DMF Marvin D. Bossart Foundation for Parkinson’s Support and DMF Ben’s Helping Hand Fund.
TNT Kid’s Fitness & Gymnastics, Jail Chaplains, St. Gerard’s Community of Care and Oak Grove Lutheran School were recognized for creating highly effective strategic partnerships with businesses.
Grace Lutheran School, Gateway to Science and Red River Youth For Christ were recognized for creative collaboration with volunteers and/or their boards of directors.
Anne Carlsen Center, CCRI, Churches United, Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, FirstLink, Frasier, Ltd.; Oak Grove Lutheran School, RiverView Health Foundation, TNT, Valley Christian Counseling, Williston Trinity School, YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties, YWCA Cass Clay, Fargo-Moorhead Opera, Mind Shift and the Jeremiah Program were recognized for 100 percent support from their boards of directors.
Grand Forks Foundation for Education, Circle of Friends Humane Society, Community of Care, Rural Cass Emergency Food Pantry, The Perry Center, Christian Family Life Services, Valley Christian Counseling, Child Evangelism Fellowship of Fargo-Moorhead, DMF Sinner Bresnahan Healthy Kids Initiative Fund and DMF Casselton Community Medical Foundation Fund were recognized for their unique and effective marketing partnership.
Jail Chaplains was recognized for excellence among nonprofits in the peer-nominated Share the Love Award.
Awards from Fargo Scheels All Sports to charities with exceptional board participation were given to: American Red Cross, DMF Brady Oberg Legacy Fund, Emergency Food Pantry, FM Dorothy Day House, FirstLink, Fraser, Ltd.; Gigi’s Playhouse, Great Plains Food Bank, Hope, Inc.; Jail Chaplains, Kamp KACE, Legacy Children’s Foundtion, Mind Shift, Nokomis Child Care of The Village, Oak Grove Lutheran School, Park Christian School, Rape and Abuse Crisis Center, Red River Children’s Advocacy Center, Ronald McDonald House Fargo, St. Gerard’s Community of Care, YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties and YWCA Cass Clay.
In the VISIONBank Video Contest, North Dakota Center for Nursing placed first, followed by St. Gerard’s Community of Care and Gateway to Science, respectively. North Dakota Autism Center was named Underdog Award winner.
Gate City Bank donated $55,000 to charities randomly chosen among nominations from branch locations across North Dakota and Minnesota. Twenty-two organizations received $2,500 each from Gate City: 4 Luv of Dog Rescue, 4-H Foundation of North Dakota, Assumption Abbey, CCRI, Inc.; Circle of Friends Humane Society, Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, Diamond in the Ruff Pet Rescue, Grace Lutheran School, Habitat for Humanity, Northern Lights; Heartview Foundation, Hospice of the Red River Valley, Inspiration Point Christian Camp + Retreat Center, Jamestown Regional Medical Center, North Dakota Autism Center, North Dakota Association for the Disabled, North Dakota State College of Science, Northern Plains Dance, Riverside Christian School, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley, SENDCAA, The GOD’S CHILD Project and Youthworks.
Marketing awards were given to: Diamond in the Ruff Pet Rescue, Eastern North Dakota Synod (ELCA), FirstLink, Gateway to Science, Red River Youth for Christ, The Arts Partnership, Youthworks, YWCA Cass Clay, Anne Carlsen Center, Cultural Diversity Resources, Empire Arts Center, Unseen, Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota, Grand Forks Foundation for Education and Village Family Service Center.
DMF awarded the prestigious Jim Holdman Award for Mission in Motion to New Life Center and North Dakota Adult and Teen Challenge. These organizations were recognized for doing an exemplary job of living out their mission in all they do 365 days a year.
The following charities won boosts from DMF based on donations drawn randomly throughout the day. Every online donation was eligible to win a boost.
$500 boost– DMF Brady Oberg Legacy Foundation Fund, Immigrant Development Center, DMF Benton’s Hope Fund, Elks Camp Grassick, Assumption Abbey, F-M Symphony Orchestra, Youthworks, Hospice of the Red River Valley, Heartview Foundation, St. John Paul II Catholic Schools, GiGi’s Playhouse, Eastern North Dakota Synod (ELCA), Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley, Grand Forks Foundation for Education, CHI Health at Home – HOSPICE, Great Plains Food Bank, Youthworks, Child Evangelism Fellowship F-M and RiverView Foundation.
$1,000 boost – F-M Opera, North Dakota Dental Foundation, Imagine Thriving, St. Gerard’s Commuinity of Care, Mayville State University Foundation, North Dakota University System Foundation, American Diabetes Association (Camp Sioux), Lost and Found Recovery Center, ND Adult and Teen Challenge and Homeward Animal Shelter.
$10,000 boost – Donations made by Matt Dymoke and Rae Halmrast, both of Moorhead, to Fraser, Ltd., and New Life Center, respectively, were randomly chosen as $10,000 boost winners.
These entities were recognized for their community giving and support of the day: Bush Foundation, Gate City Bank, Scheels, and VISIONBank. Next Action Digital, H2M, Thuen Studios and Livewire were digital partners. Giving Hearts Day is co-hosted by Dakota Medical Foundation, Impact Foundation and Alex Stern Family Foundation.
Organizations interested in becoming part of Giving Hearts Day 2018, to be held Feb. 8, may email ghdinfo@dakmed.org or contact Amanda Sayre at 701-271-0263.
