New Haven, Conn. (WTNH) – The Great Give is back, for its 14^th year, and more than 500 local nonprofit organizations are participating in this huge, online fundraising event, which is happening May 3 – 4.

Be ready to give between 8:00am on May 3 and 8:00pm on May 4. Help unlock $226,000 in matching funds and prizes for participating nonprofits. Join thousands of others with a gift of $5 or more to support the local community. It’s their biggest year to date, and they could certainly use your help!

CT Style Host Natasha Lubczenko spoke with Jackie Downing, Senior Director of Grantmaking and Nonprofit Support at the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, which runs this exciting, competitive, yet unified, campaign for nonprofits to raise funds online for their organizations.

Jackie explains how the two-day fundraising appeal works,  “The Great Give is a time when all the nonprofits in the Greater New Haven area, our 20-town region, come together to raise money – ‘Together, we raise – Together, we rise.’ It’s been a very challenging time for nonprofits, and they all need funding. And this is the time when they come together and really reach out to their constituents and support each other in raising money from this great community.”

“It’s easy to participate,” Jackie says, “You go to www.thegreatgive.org and gifts start at $5, so everyone can make a gift at $5, and we hope if you can, you’ll do better for the nonprofits and give a meaningful gift to as many nonprofits as you can. We always ask donors to take a look, find one that’s your favorite, somebody that you have a relationship with, and then find someone that is new to you, that’s doing great work in our community and support them as well.”

Every $5 donation can make an impact. It’s small but powerful, just like The Great Give Mascot, Gigi the Acorn, which Jackie wears as a pin, today. She says, “Gigi is a little thing, that make big things grow. So, donors coming together with five, $25, $50 gifts are the ones that really make The Great Give and our nonprofits successful. Last year, in 36 hours, they raised $3.5 million, and it was mostly from small gifts that made a difference to these nonprofits. So, little things coming together can really make a difference.”

Watch this interview an learn more about The Great Give, as Jackie Downing answers the following questions:

• For these nonprofits, why are events like this so significant to the work that they’re able to do, here in our community?
• Does it cost the organizations any money to participate in The Great Give?
• Do all donations made online through The Great Give website, need to be made with a credit card?
• What is your fundraising goal for this year?
• Are all donations tax-deductible?
• How can people find out which nonprofits are participating, if they want to donate?
• What happens to the money that is raised for each organization?

So, start by going to www.thegreatgive .org to find an organization you want to support, and then get your credit card or mobile wallet ready. Be sure to check out the FAQs page if you have any questions.