FAQ
General FAQ
Q. What is Bluegrass Gives?
Bluegrass Gives (formerly the GoodGiving Challenge) is our region’s biggest online giving day, making it easy (and fun!) to support local nonprofits. Hosted by Blue Grass Community Foundation in partnership with Smiley Pete Publishing, this collective giving campaign has helped tens of thousands of donors invest more than $26 million in hundreds of local charities since 2011. This year’s event takes place on Giving Tuesday, December 2, when our community will come together once again to give online at BGgives.org.
Organizations FAQ
Q. Which organizations can participate?
- A verified 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit (or fiscally sponsored by such an organization)
- Registered to solicit funds with the Kentucky Attorney General
- Recognized on Guidestar.org with a Gold Seal of Transparency, or higher; and
- Physically located within one of Blue Grass Community Foundation's service area counties: Anderson, Bath, Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Fayette, Franklin, Harrison, Jessamine, Madison, Magoffin, Montgomery, Morgan, Rowan, Scott or Woodford.
Institutions of faith may only participate if fundraising for secular charitable programming, such as a food pantry that is operated from the organization. Educational programs operated within a religious institution, such as a parochial school, may participate so long as funding is for educational and/or secular purposes.
Organizations may not participate if they are identified by the Horizon Forum Hate Screen as participating in hateful activities.
Q. When can organizations register?
Organizations may register to participate in Bluegrass Gives from August 11 - September 30, 2025. All participation requirements must be completed by September 30, 2025.
Q. How do I register my organization?
Search for your organization by name or EIN here. If you do not see your organization listed, you will select the "Add My Organization" button then follow the steps to create an account and profile for your organization. For more help registering your organization, please contact info@bgcf.org. For technical support, please contact customersuccess@givegab.com.
Q. Is there a fee to participate?
Yes, there is a $250 registration fee to participate in Bluegrass Gives, which supports the operational costs of Bluegrass Gives. Registration is paid via credit card during registration.
Q. Why should my organization participate in Bluegrass Gives?
Bluegrass Gives is more than a fundraiser—it’s a chance to grow your impact, visibility and support base. Here’s how your nonprofit can benefit:
- Raise awareness & visibility: Bluegrass Gives is an excellent opportunity to reach new audiences and amplify your organization’s mission. The Community Foundation team coordinates campaign coverage, promotion and interviews with media outlets. Plus, your organization will gain exposure to Blue Grass Community Foundation fundholders who collectively donate millions of dollars every year for the causes they love.
- Recruit & retain donors: Bluegrass Gives prompts donors to give every Giving Tuesday, with many returning to donate each year. The likelihood of receiving a gift from a new donor is also very high (in 2024, 1 in 3 donors gave to a new nonprofit). Fundraising strategies such as peer-to-peer fundraising, leaderboards, matches and prizes create an exciting atmosphere that sparks generosity across Central and Appalachia Kentucky.
- Boost the impact of donations: Thanks to our generous sponsors, organizations can access additional funding during Bluegrass Gives through a robust pool of matches and prizes.
- Build skills: Free toolkits and training sessions help staff and board members sharpen fundraising and marketing strategies.
- Meet immediate needs: All funds raised during Bluegrass Gives are unrestricted gifts for your organization.
- Engage your network: To increase your impact and outreach, encourage staff, board and supporters to set up matches, become peer-to-peer fundraisers, or use ready-made graphics and templates from the Resource Toolkit.
- Track results: The Bluegrass Gives platform provides year-round access to data and real-time fundraising stats to help you plan for future success.
Q. Is Bluegrass Gives right for my organization?
Bluegrass Gives is an effective way for organizations to gain new donors, raise money and increase exposure to a broad audience. However, only you can determine if this online giving event is right for your organization.
Like any fundraising event, it will take dedicated staff time to make the most of Bluegrass Gives; the dollars do not raise themselves! To make the most of Bluegrass Gives, you need to make sure your organization has someone who can dedicate their time to this effort, donors and staff who are comfortable working in an online environment, and that timing does not conflict with other initiatives.
Q. How much of each donation will go to our organization?
All donations (except gifts made with a BGCF donor advised fund) are assessed a 2.8% fee to cover platform expenses. In addition, credit card donations are assessed a 2.2% + $0.30 fee, and ACH donations are assessed a $3.00 fee. Please note that Blue Grass Community Foundation does not receive any of these fees and that 100% of donations are tax-deductible for the donor. Donors may opt to cover the fees before completing their transaction.
Q. When will my organization receive our donations?
Checks including funds raised, less uncovered fees, plus match dollars and any prizes won, will be mailed to nonprofits in January 2026.
Q. How can my organization access its donor data?
All organizations that participate in Bluegrass Gives will be able to access and download a .CSV file of their donations via their administrative dashboard. The report is updated in real-time and will donation information and the donor's name and contact information (unless the donor has elected to remain anonymous). Learn how to access your donor data via this helpful support article here.
Q. Where can I receive updates about Bluegrass Gives?
As Bluegrass Gives is an online event, we encourage organizations to frequently visit the resources available on www.bggives.org. Additionally, we will communicate important updates, announcements, and general tips and tricks via email, so be sure to list your preferred email address when completing the registration form. If you would like to add a staff member to our email list, please sign them up here.
We will also publicize exciting announcements via our social networks. Follow @BGCYKY on Facebook and Instagram to stay connected.
Q. Can my organization give out tangible items and prizes to people for donating to us during the giving day?
No, organizations cannot give donors cash prizes or tangible gifts (ex. T-shirts) in exchange for donating to their giving day campaigns. Instead, BGCF encourages participating organizations to use the robust prize pool as a motivator for donors to give back and thank their donors in other ways, such as phone calls, handwritten notes, etc.
Q. How will Blue Grass Community Foundation promote Bluegrass Gives across the community?
Blue Grass Community Foundation gets the word out about Bluegrass Gives through a wide mix of channels:
- Media partnerships: TV, radio, print and digital outlets help share the story across the region.
- Foundation communications: BGCF promotes the campaign to its fundholders and philanthropic partners through email, print and social media.
- Advertising: Local ads ensure broad community visibility and awareness.
- Social media: Millions of impressions are generated online! Follow and use #BluegrassGives to stay connected and boost the momentum.
Donor FAQ
Q. Who can donate?
Anyone! Donations through the Bluegrass Gives online portal to charitable nonprofit organizations are tax-deductible and cannot be refunded. Contributions may be made via credit card, debit card, or BGCF donor advised fund only. Your credit card statement will reflect a donation to Blue Grass Community Foundation, which we in turn forward to your charity of choice after the conclusion of Bluegrass Gives.
Q. What is GiveGab/Bonterra?
GiveGab, which has been acquired by Bonterra, is a nonprofit giving platform that helps nonprofits to raise money, engage donors and manage volunteers quickly and efficiently. GiveGab/Bonterra offers a full portfolio of simple and easy to use products that allows organizations to function in a more streamlined manner.
Q. Why should I give through BGgives.org?
We encourage giving to local nonprofits all year long, but Bluegrass Gives was created as a special celebration of generosity in our community. When you give through BGgives.org on Giving Tuesday, your donation goes further thanks to sponsored matches and prizes. Note: only gifts made through BGgives.org count toward a nonprofit’s eligibility for these bonus funds—so your contribution has even more impact.
Q. What are the minimum and maximum donation amounts?
The minimum gift amount is $10. There is no maximum gift.
Q. Is my gift tax-deductible?
Yes, gifts made through BGgives.org are 100% tax-deductible. When you make a gift on BGgives.org, your donation is collected by Blue Grass Community Foundation and forwarded on to your charity of choice. Blue Grass Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are deductible to the full extent provided by law.
Q. Will I receive a receipt for my gift?
Yes. An electronic tax receipt with an itemized list of each organization you gave to will be delivered to the email address you provide during checkout. Electronic tax receipts have been approved by the Kentucky Department of Revenue to be used for Kentucky state tax credit purposes.
Q. How can I give?
Gifts may be made online at BGgives.org via credit and debit card, ACH transfer, Apple Pay, Google Pay,or through an existing charitable fund held Blue Grass Community Foundation. Gifts by check, cash, or stock cannot be accepted as a part of this event.
Q. How will the donations be reported on my credit card statement?
Your credit card statement will reflect a donation to Blue Grass Community Foundation, which we in turn forward to your charity of choice after the conclusion of Bluegrass Gives.
Q. How much of my gift goes to the nonprofit?
All donations (except gifts made with a BGCF donor advised fund) are assessed a 2.8% fee to cover platform expenses. In addition, credit card donations are assessed a 2.2% + $0.30 fee, and ACH donations are assessed a $3.00 fee. Want your nonprofit to receive the full gift amount? Cover the transaction fee! Donors have the option to cover the fee during checkout, allowing more of their gift amount to go directly to the nonprofit.
Q. How will donations be distributed?
Participating nonprofit organizations will receive a check from Blue Grass Community Foundation that includes donations made on BGgives.org, as well as any matching funds or prizes won during Bluegrass GIves.
Q. Does Blue Grass Community Foundation receive any portion of the donations?
No. Blue Grass Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) and does not profit from Bluegrass Gives.
Q. Can I make a gift in honor/memory of someone?
Yes. Donors will have the option to designate this using the Comments section of the giving form.
Q. Can I make an anonymous donation?
Yes. Donors will have the option to choose to remain anonymous when completing the giving form.
Q. What if the organization I want to donate to is not listed?
You may only donate to the organizations that chose to participate. If your favorite cause is not listed, encourage them to join us next year! They can sign up for our mailing list here.
Q. How do I know if a nonprofit organization on BGgives.org is valid?
Blue Grass Community Foundation staff verifies if an organization is a registered 501(c)(3) organization with the IRS. In addition, each organization is required to register with the Kentucky Attorney General and achieve a Gold Seal of Transparency on GuideStar.
Q. Do I need to create an account to make a donation?
No. You do not need to create an account to make a donation. The benefits of creating an account include having your tax receipts collected in one location, being able to track your donations, follow the charities you support, and engage in future volunteering and donations. Your tax receipt is emailed immediately upon processing your donation. To claim a donation as a deduction on U.S. taxes, you should retain the donation receipt as an official record.
Q. Can I make donations via a mobile device?
Yes! Simply visit bggives.org on
your mobile device.
Q. Can I pre-schedule a donation for Bluegrass Gives?
You cannot pre-schedule your Bluegrass Gives gift. In order for your donation to be counted towards prize incentives awarded on Giving Tuesday it must be made between 6am and 11:59pm on December 2, 2025.