Hartford Business Journal

September 5, 2016

Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/722340

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 2 of 31

www.HartfordBusiness.com September 5, 2016 • Hartford Business Journal 3 Nonprofit Madness CT to test growing bracket-style fundraising model By Matt Pilon mpilon@HartfordBusiness.com T here's perhaps no more exciting time for many Connecticut fans than when UConn's basketball teams take the court for the NCAA's March Madness tournament. The UConn men's and women's teams have 11 championships over 22 tournament appearances since 2004, and have even shared dual victories twice over that span. During next year's March Madness, area nonprofits — many facing steady or growing fundraising challenges — are hoping the Nut- meg State's enthusiasm for collegiate hoops will translate into generosity for local charities. As many as 64 Hartford County nonprof- its will compete for donations in an online bracket-style competition organized by India- napolis-based Brackets for Good, which says it has helped raise $2.7 million for charitable organizations in several states since 2012. New Britain's Stanley Black & Decker has signed on as the title sponsor for the Connecticut challenge. Its $10,000 contribution will be used as a grand prize for the winner of the tournament, slated to run from Feb. 24 to the end of March. "We've all been to the gala, we've all been to the traditional fundraising event," to raise money for charities and other organizations, said Reid McDowell, marketing and partnerships director for Brackets for Good, which is also a nonprofit. "We want to provide another option." Brackets for Good has been gaining steam since launching in 2012 in the Indianapolis market, when it raised $32,000 for eight non- profits, McDowell said. Last year, there were five state-based chal- lenges, raising approximately $1.4 million, which was the largest haul yet. There are 10 challenges scheduled for 2017, including Connecticut's. Ironically, the Brackets for Good concept was dreamed up by several disappointed But- ler University fans after their Indianapolis- based basketball team lost to the UConn men in the 2011 NCAA tournament championship. How it works The bracket challenge will be open to all reg- istered 501(c)3 organizations in Hartford County. The first four rounds will last for one week, with one-on-one matchups between participat- ing nonprofits. Whoever raises the most during a round moves on, but the loser gets to keep all the money it raised during the tournament. The final two rounds are condensed into one week. Brackets for Good says it does its best to avoid any lopsided matchups, particularly early in the tournament, through its selection pro- cess, which uses a scor- ing system. "We don't want to pair an organization with a $10 mil- lion operating budget with one with $100,000 in the first round," McDowell said. However, he said just like in college hoops, favorites don't always win a given matchup. "We see cinderella stories year after year," he said. Nonprofits will have until Oct. 28 to register at https://bfg.org. Nonprofits don't pay to participate. How- ever, online donors must pay an administra- tive fee of 4.7 percent plus 30 cents. Brackets for Good also prints bracket post- ers, promotes the challenge through social media and other advertising, and organizes a pep rally of sorts in each of its markets ahead of the tournament to gin up excitement. The nonprofit said it would like to offer the challenge to more Connecticut nonprofits, and hopes to gauge interest for a future expansion. CT nonprofits hope for boost Since Brackets for Good hasn't yet formally announced the Connecticut tour- nament (that's coming soon), many nonprofits here may not yet know of it. But as of last week, a handful had already registered. Among them was East Hartford-based Boy Scouts of America Connecticut Rivers Council. Council CEO Steven A. Smith read about a fellow council participating in the Indiana chal- lenge on Facebook and reached out to Brackets for Good to bring the concept to Connecticut. He said he also helped get Stan- ley on board as a sponsor. Stanley CFO Donald Allan Jr. is the council's volunteer president. "I saw it as a fun way to engage new donors," Smith said. "This state lives and breathes bas- ketball, so it's a natural fit." But amidst the fun is a more serious reality for many nonprofits, including Smith's council — which serves 127 communities and has upwards of 30,000 youth and adult members. While many nonprofits struggle, recent state funding cuts have made the financial picture more challenging, placing even greater pressure on foundations and other major grant makers. In some cases, it's affected nonprofits that don't receive any state money, like the Boy Scouts. Smith said the vacuum has pushed some donors to prioritize or more narrowly define what kinds of nonprofits will receive their support. Some have chosen to place a greater emphasis on hunger and poverty programs. "We've seen some longtime funders say 'we can't support you anymore because there are more pressing needs in the community,' " Smith said. Over the past few years, the Connecticut Rivers Council has been forced to cut some staff, close one of its five camps and dip into its reserve funds, he said. Its 2015 revenue fell 19 percent, to $1.6 million, partially fueled by a dip in contributions. Another nonprofit hoping to participate in the Brackets for Good challenge is Hartford's Children's Law Center (CLC), which repre- sents indigent children in volatile custody cases involving allegations of abuse, neglect or other problems. Though there were hundreds of those cases last year, it's a relatively narrow niche for a non- profit, which has made fundraising difficult at times, said Justine Rakich-Kelly, CLC's execu- tive director. "Sometimes we don't fit nicely into the priorities that funders set," Rakich-Kelly said. She said one foundational partner recently informed CLC that it would be forced to ratchet down its support over the next few years. So CLC applied and hopes to be selected for the bracket challenge. Continued 860.871.1111 Toll Free: 800.741.6367 nemsi.com License #'s: E1-104939 • S1-302974 • P1-203519 • F1-10498 • SM1-192 • MC-1134 MECHANICAL • ELECTRICAL • PLUMBING • SHEET METAL • BUILDING AUTOMATION • FACILITIES SERVICES FACILITY SOLUTIONS…ONE SOURCE The company that builds and installs the critical systems in virtually every type of facility is the same company you can rely on to maintain them. For 50 years, our clients have trusted us to deliver end-to-end facilities solutions, so they can focus on their core business. We design, install, maintain, and protect systems in: Industrial Facilities Manufacturing Facilities Commercial Facilities Higher Education Facilities Healthcare Facilities Pharmaceutical Facilities 196 6-2016 196 6-2016 Bracket challenges are preceded by pep rallies meant to raise awareness and excitement among nonprofits and donors. P H O T O S | C O N T R I B U T E D

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Hartford Business Journal - September 5, 2016