After enjoying a likely self-indulgent Thanksgiving holiday weekend as well as Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping, nonprofit organizations in the Yampa Valley hope residents will now “give where you live” for Yampa Valley Gives through Dec. 5.

Yampa Valley Gives is organized by the nonprofit Yampa Valley Community Foundation to help boost regional charitable giving as part of the statewide Colorado Gives Day, which falls on the first Tuesday of December.

Last year locally, Yampa Valley Gives collectively raised more than $1.2 million, and the number of donors increased by 11% compared to 2021, according to Foundation Executive Director Tim Wohlgenant. The foundation, which began officially in 1984, reported record-breaking donations of $1.3 million for Yampa Valley Gives in 2021.

Each donation from Nov. 1 through Dec. 5 is boosted by a percentage through an incentive fund provided by Colorado Gives Foundation and FirstBank, according to Holly Wilson, YVCF philanthropic services manager. Yampa Valley Gives has seen a trend of increasing numbers of donations year-over-year including 5,021 donations in 2022.

As of 1 p.m. Monday, the YVGives.org website counter reported 444 donations from 297 donors giving more than $105,125 so far.

“This demonstrates the growing strength of our community spirit and the power of collective action,” Wohlgenant said. “Yampa Valley Gives is a day when our community comes together in an extraordinary way to support the numerous nonprofits that make a positive impact on our lives.”

This year, 99 vetted nonprofits are participating in Yampa Valley Gives, an increase of 19 nonprofits from last year, such as new participants Warhorse Ranch, Travis House, High Altitude Basketball, and Har Mishpacha Jewish Congregation of Steamboat Springs. Wilson said those 99 nonprofits represent the vast majority of the state-registered nonprofits in the valley.

The Yampa Valley Gives campaign is broken down into the categories of animals; arts, culture and humanities; civil rights and advocacy; education; environment; food, agriculture and nutrition; housing and shelter; human services; and mental health and health care.

“Our organizations need the support so they can continue to provide our exceptional services to our community,” Wilson said. “For many nonprofits, it’s their biggest fundraising day of the year.”

Today is “Giving Tuesday” — mirroring Black Friday and Cyber Monday — which is a global day of giving or a global generosity movement. In 2022, the statewide Colorado Gives Day raised more than $70 million from approximately 160,000 donors to benefit some 3,500 nonprofit organizations in the state, according to ColoradoGives.org.

During this giving season, local nonprofits are distributing emails, social media posts and postcards asking donors not to wait to give, or releasing annual impact reports explaining their accomplishments or letting people know about challenge grants.

Wilson said this year also offers the opportunity for matches when donors set up a reoccurring donation for a nonprofit on the Yampa Valley Gives website. Colorado Gives Foundation will match those second donations up to $100 for $250,000 overall.

Some local nonprofits have supporters who have donated internal matching challenge grants to encourage other donations through Dec. 5. For example, Yampa Valley Sustainability Council currently has a matching $20,000 challenge gift that would double others’ donations.

Some church organizations issue internal challenge grants to their congregation in order to serve a community nonprofit in particular need. For example, Steamboat Christian Center currently has a $50,000 matching challenge to help nonprofit REPS — or Reaching Everyone Preventing Suicide — cover payments to contracted behavioral health counselors who provide five free sessions to clients. REPS Executive Director Mindy Marriott said the requests for confidential counseling has increased by approximately 70% so far this year compared to 2022, which means 180 counseling clients served so far this year.

Donors who wish to find nonprofits that align with their charitable interests can check out 145 causes listed at YVGives.org. In addition, this year’s Yampa Valley Gives printed guide will be inserted into the Steamboat Pilot & Today and the Craig Daily Press on Friday.

Wilson said nonprofits can participate in Yampa Valley Gives for free thanks to support from event sponsors, and 100% of donations stay in Routt and Moffat counties. Donors receive a digital receipt for their tax-deductible donations.