Don’t underestimate the big impact of small gifts

We often hear about large donations and the difference they can make to organizations. These sizable gifts can be transformational to nonprofits — allowing them to move from working at kitchen tables into offices, hire new staff and expand their programs for years, even decades.

However, not everyone has the capacity to donate large amounts of cash or assets and it’s easy to forget that small gifts matter, too. These gifts can also be life changing because they can add up.

For example, after his life-threatening injury last year, NFL player Damar Hamlin’s charity raised more than $8 million in less than a week with an average gift of just $32. In 2017, after Hurricane Harvey struck Texas, one million donors gave gifts under $100 to the American Red Cross, contributing $25 million to their relief funds.

It’s called collective giving and it not only applies to large nonprofits but also organizations in our county that are initiating change, often one person or one family at a time, to make our community stronger.

Giving small also can generate a ripple effect of good. For example, giving $10 to a school lunch program could mean a child doesn’t have to go hungry. That could lead him or her to get better grades, which can ultimately result in attending college and contributing back to his community in ways that they might have never dreamed about.

While large donations are always needed and important, many nonprofits rely on consistent small donations for their funding needs. Small donations can keep a nonprofit going and also increase its chances of receiving additional funding. The old adage “every penny counts” is especially true when an organization has few resources.

Like donations, small grants to nonprofits can also have a huge impact. For example, at the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC), we pride ourselves on making grants to nonprofits to help them continue to serve others.

Those grants can be large such as our Community Crisis Response Fund grants of $10,000 to $50,000 or smaller grants such as our Grants 4 Teachers Fund grants, which are $500 and under, and provide funds for teachers who want to implement creative programs but don’t have the resources.

For example, one Grants 4 Teachers grant provided an Anne Arundel Pre-K teacher with Music Therapy (MT) sessions and teacher consultation sessions for her students with Autism and cognitive disabilities.

“I have observed tremendous improvements in my students’ overall classroom functioning, communication and behaviors during and after MT sessions,” the teacher wrote. She added that the funding will help move her project forward so students can have access to MT specifically geared toward their diverse needs and help increase their academic, communication and functional skills in class and at home.

Another example of small grants making a big difference is CFAAC’s Help Our Neighbors Fund. The fund was established to respond to significant increases in calls from individuals and families in need of urgent financial assistance.

While CFAAC cannot make grants directly to individuals, we can fund nonprofits that respond to these needs by offering grants from $250 to $2,500 to provide emergency assistance in paying for rent, car repairs, utilities, medicine or other basic necessities.

These small but meaningful grants have been made to a number of local nonprofits including We Care and Friends, SPAN, Inc., Maryland Reentry Resource Center, Fuel Fund of Maryland, Owensville Primary Care, The Lighthouse Homeless Prevention Center and many area churches.

If you aren’t sure where to give to assist others in our community, CFAAC can help. One of the benefits of giving through CFAAC is that donors can make a gift of any amount, large or small, to any CFAAC grantmaking fund and we can bundle together those contributions to make a greater impact with grants to nonprofits.

For example, if you care about helping the community in times of crisis, give to CFAAC’s Community Crisis Response Fund. If you want to aid teachers, donate to our Grants 4 Teachers Fund. If you are concerned about those less fortunate who need help with basic necessities, contribute to our Help Our Neighbors Fund.

CFAAC also has established funds that focus on helping the environment, arts and culture initiatives or programs specific to women and girls. These grants are testimony that small gifts can translate to big contributions in our community. For more information on CFAAC and its grant programs, visit cfaac.org.

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County is celebrating 25 years as a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3), publicly supported philanthropic organization with the longterm goal of building permanent funds that provide support to local nonprofit organizations through grants and special projects. Our mission is to inspire and promote giving in Anne Arundel County by connecting people who care with causes that matter. Established in 1998, CFAAC is one of the largest funders of nonprofit organizations in Anne Arundel County. CFAAC distributes $4 million to $6 million annually.