FAQ
Q. What is The Great Giveback Fond du Lac?
The Great Giveback Fond du Lac is a countywide online day of giving that brings the community together to support local nonprofits during a single 24-hour campaign. The goal is to raise awareness, inspire philanthropy, and celebrate the impact nonprofits have throughout Fond du Lac County.
Q. When is The Great Giveback Fond du Lac?
The Great Giveback Fond du Lac is from noon on Tuesday, February 17 to noon on Wednesday, February 18, 2027.
Q. Which organizations can participate?
Eligible organizations must:
- Designated as a 501(c)(3) by the IRS or have a fiscal sponsor that is a 501 (c)(3)
- Serve Fond du Lac County
- Provide direct support to clients. May not serve as a pass-through organization or have a primary mission of grantmaking
- Conduct business without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, etc.
- Complete the online application and sign a memorandum of understanding
Q. How are participating nonprofits selected?
30 participating nonprofits will be selected to create an equitable and diverse representation of organizations serving Fond du Lac County. The selection process will include representation of small, medium, and large budget organizations, along with a broad range of community focus areas such as basic needs, education, the arts, youth sports, and more.
Q. When will nonprofits be notified whether they have been selected?
Selected nonprofits will be announced on Tuesday, January 5, 2027! Once the announcement is made, there will be a time-intensive countdown to The Great Giveback Fond du Lac, which will include trainings, the deployment of media toolkits, business toolkits, promotion with Mountain Dog Media, and event day activities.
We encourage nonprofits to reserve these key dates on their calendars in advance, in case they are selected to participate.
Q. What media benefits are provided to participating nonprofits?
As the official media partner of The Great Giveback Fond du Lac, Mountain Dog Media is committed to helping participating nonprofits expand their reach, share their impact, and connect with new supporters across Fond du Lac County through its family of media platforms, including KFIZ, 107.1 The Bull, KFIZ.com, and KFIZ Cares.
Participating nonprofits will benefit from extensive community-wide promotion before and during the event at no cost. Participating nonprofits will be offered radio interviews, nonprofit spotlights, storytelling features, social media exposure, digital content, and inclusion in campaign-wide awareness efforts designed to highlight the missions and impact of participating organizations. In addition, each nonprofit will have a 30-second video produced and equal visibility through the "30 Nonprofits in 30 Weekdays" campaign.
Q. Why is the Fond du Lac Area Foundation leading this effort?
The Fond du Lac Area Foundation believes a community-wide giving day can strengthen philanthropy across the county, introduce donors to new organizations, and raise the visibility of the nonprofit sector as a whole. The goal is to create something that benefits local nonprofits and the entire community for years to come.
The Fond du Lac Area Foundation also provides the infrastructure for the giving day, including trainings, administrative resources, online platform, media outreach and event messaging. It will also provide a nonprofit toolkit at greatgivebackfdl.com for participating nonprofits to utilize in their promotion of the event.
Q. Who can donate?
Anyone may donate. Donations through the The Great Giveback Fond du Lac online portal to charitable nonprofit organizations are tax-deductible and cannot be refunded. Contributions may be made via credit and debit card only. Donations will be processed and receipted by GiveGab/Bonterra.
Q. What is GiveGab/Bonterra?
GiveGab, which is becoming 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. How much of my donation goes to the nonprofit?
GiveGab/Bonterra retains a 2% campaign management fee from all donations. Credit Card processing fees are an additional 2.5% + $0.30 for all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover). You are given the option to cover the fees and if you choose this option, 100% of your online charitable gift will go to the receiving organization. All donations are final and cannot be refunded. Any donations processed outside of the The Great Giveback Fond du Lac donation period through GiveGab.com, or subsequent recurring donations, are also subject to the transaction fees outlined above. The Fond du Lac Area Foundation does not retain any fees related to The Great Giveback Fond du Lac.
Q. Who will receive a donor's contact information?
The organization(s) a donor chooses to support will have access to name and email address. This information is used solely to send thank you messages, provide the option to receive future notifications, and to notify you of future activities. Participating nonprofits will be able to download a list of donors from the GiveGab website.
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 pre-schedule a donation for The Great Giveback Fond du Lac?
You cannot pre-schedule your The Great Giveback Fond du Lac gift. In order for your donation to be counted towards incentives awarded on The Great Giveback Fond du Lac it must be made between noon to noon on February 17-18, 2027.