Frequently Asked Questions

What is GiveNOLA Day?

GiveNOLA Day, an initiative of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, is a one-day online giving event. For 24 hours, everyone who loves our region can support their favorite local causes by donating to one or more of 900+ participating nonprofit organizations. Since our first event in 2013, GiveNOLA Day has raised over $64.3 million for our region’s nonprofits. This year, we hope to do even more! 

When will GiveNOLA Day 2025 take place?

It will be from 12:00:01 a.m. to 11:59:59 p.m. on May 6, 2025. All event-related donations must be made online during the 24-hour period or during our scheduled giving period of April 28, 2025 through May 5, 2025.

What are the key dates for GiveNOLA Day 2025?

• February 3: Nonprofit Registration Opens
• February 10: Nonprofit Registration Webinar
• February 3 - February 21: Early Bird Registration Period 
• March 18: Nonprofit Registration Closes 
• April 28 - May 5: Early Giving Period 
• May 6: GiveNOLA Day  

What is the Greater New Orleans Foundation?

With roots extending 100 years, the Greater New Orleans Foundation connects generous people to the causes that spark their passion. As one of the most trusted philanthropic organizations in the region, we work every day to drive positive impact by championing charitable giving, strengthening nonprofits, and leading civic initiatives in our thirteen-parish region. In addition to grantmaking, we convene people, resources, and ideas to create intelligent strategies and solutions to meet our region’s greatest challenges. We are proud to serve as a vocal civic leader with our partners to ensure an economically vibrant, sustainable, and just region for all. Learn more at www.gnof.org.

What is a community foundation?

Community foundations are tax-exempt public charities with a common goal: improving the quality of life in the geographic areas they serve. They are funded by individuals, families, corporations, and nonprofit organizations that create permanent charitable funds to help meet critical needs within a given region. Overseen by a volunteer board of leading citizens, community foundations invest and administer these funds. We are proud to be one of 700+ community foundations in the United States.

What is Neon One?

Neon One is GiveNOLA Day's technology partner. Neon One's Giving Day platform, Neon Giving Days hosts some of the largest giving days in the country.

I want to sponsor GiveNOLA Day!

We love to hear that! GiveNOLA Day would not be possible with the generosity of our amazing sponsors. We welcome support from individuals and corporations to help make GiveNOLA Day a success. Please contact Zach Danner at zach@gnof.org to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.  

Why should I Give on May 6 through GiveNOLA.org?

While we encourage you to support your local nonprofits with year-round giving, we have created a special event on May 6. It is our day to celebrate our region's spirit of generosity and support the work of our nonprofits. In addition, your dollars during the 24-hour period will be amplified by a proportional "Lagniappe Fund," as well as possible awards and hourly prizes for the nonprofits.

Who can make a donation on GiveNOLA Day?

We believe that anyone can be a philanthropist. Anyone can make a donation to a nonprofit that has created a profile on GiveNOLA.org! The minimum donation is $10. 

How can I make a donation on GiveNOLA Day?

On May 6, starting at 12:00 a.m. midnight and for the next 24 hours, go to the home page and use your credit or debit card to donate to any participating nonprofit. You can search for a nonprofit by name, category, or parish. Participating nonprofits will have a donation page where you can enter the amount you want to donate. Donations begin at $10, and there is no limit to the maximum size or number of donations you would like to make. You may give to as many different nonprofits as you like. 

Do I need a donor account to donate?

No! You do not need a donor account to donate during GiveNOLA Day. If you choose not to create a donor account, you can simply checkout as a guest.

However, should you choose to create a free donor account, you can enjoy the following advanced features year-round:

• View your donation history and access your past tax receipts
• Give to your favorite nonprofits easily and quickly

Is there an option for early giving?

Yes, we know that life sometimes gets in the way. To make it easier to give, donors have the ability to make an online donation between Monday, April 28 and Tuesday, May 6. Donors may access GiveNOLA.org and check out as usual. The donor will receive a receipt via email upon submitting their donation. Please note that scheduled gifts will not be eligible for nonprofit Rock-Around-the-Clock prizes. 

What prizes are available for nonprofits to win on GiveNOLA Day?

All nonprofits are eligible to compete for awards on GiveNOLA Day. Based on the operational budget entered when creating a profile, all nonprofits are divided into "small" (<$100,000), "medium" ($100,001 to $750,000), and "large"(>$750,001) categories. For each of these categories, awards will be given to the five nonprofits that raise the most money and the five nonprofits that have the most unique donors, resulting in 30 awards total.

For the purposes of awarding some prizes, a unique donor is one individual or corporation/business. Multiple donations from one donor to the same nonprofit will count as one unique donor. Unique donors are tracked by an algorithm that looks at combinations of billing first name, billing last name, email address, and zip code. A nonprofit can win more than one of the above awards. Award totals for each category are 1st - $7,500; 2nd - $5,000; 3rd - $2,500; 4th - $1,000; and 5th - $500. 

Hourly Rock-Around-the-Clock prizes are also drawn randomly from a pool of any nonprofit that received a minimum $10 donation in that hour each hour of the 24-hour giving period. One nonprofit from each category ("small", "medium", and "large") will be awarded $500 each hour. Organizations that have already been selected for a Rock-Around-the-Clock prize are not eligible to receive another one.

What is the Lagniappe Fund?

At the end of the event, every nonprofit will receive a proportional share of this fund based upon its percentage of the total dollars raised. The equation to calculate lagniappe dollars is: 

amount a nonprofit raises ÷ amount raised by ALL nonprofits for GiveNOLA Day = their Lagniappe Fund percentage

I have a Donor Advised Fund at the Greater New Orleans Foundation. Can I use it to make grants for GiveNOLA Day?

Yes, but donations using a Greater New Orleans Foundation account must be submitted by April 17, 2025. Donations made via the Greater New Orleans Foundation will not be subject to credit card or Neon One processing fees. If you wish to transfer funds from your current fund at the Foundation, please contact Nathan Alvarez, Donor Relations Associate at nathan@gnof.org or (504) 598-4663.

How do fundraising pages work and how do I create one?

Is there a specific nonprofit or nonprofit(s) in the region that you’re passionate about? Do you want to help raise money for them? We can help you make that happen. Learn more about how to create a fundraising page here. 

I need technical support to make my gift.

Please use the blue "Support" widget (button) that is at the bottom right corner of your screen. You can also reach the GiveNOLA Day Team at GiveNOLA@GNOF.org or get support by phone at (504) 598-4663. 

How can I stay in touch with the nonprofit I gave to?

Thank you for recognizing that it's important to be generous year round! Please consider following nonprofits on social media and signing up for their newsletters to get the latest news on how you can make a difference in New Orleans year round.

What will the charge look like on my credit card statement?

Since all GiveNOLA Day donations are processed by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, your credit card statement, depending on your bank, may appear as "Greater New Orleans Foundation," "GNOF," or a similar abbreviation. The donation will not be posted as GiveNOLA Day or GiveNOLA.org. Your donation is 100% tax-deductible, and you will receive an immediate email from the Greater New Orleans Foundation confirming your donation, which we encourage that you save for your records. Any adjustments made to a donation must be done by June 9, 2025.  

How do I get a receipt for my donation?

You will automatically receive a printable on-screen acknowledgment and an email receipt for your 100% tax-deductible donation once your donation is processed. Sometimes receipts get caught up in spam filters so if your receipt does not arrive within a few minutes, check your junk mail folder. 

If you created a donor account upon making your donation for GiveNOLA Day, you can log in here. Click the tab labeled “My Donations,” and you will see all the donations you made. On the right-hand side next to the amount, there is a button labeled “Send Receipt,” which allows you to send your receipts to your email address at any time.

If you did not create a donor account when making your donation(s), contact our team at GiveNOLA@gnof.org. Please be sure to provide us with the email address you used upon making your donation(s) so we can get your receipt to you in a timely manner.

Is my donation safe and secure?

Your donation is protected by Neon Pay who provides a secure service. None of your card or bank account information is stored in the Neon One application. Neon Pay’s toolset is PCI-DSS Level 1 compliant and contains fraud monitoring at the transactional level to maintain the highest standard of security.

Does the Greater New Orleans Foundation receive any portion of the donations?

No, the Greater New Orleans Foundation does not receive any of the processing fees or the credit card processing fees. However, the Greater New Orleans Foundation is a 501(c)(3) in Orleans Parish and therefore can and will accept donations through its profile on GiveNOLA.org. The Greater New Orleans Foundation will not receive any portion of Lagniappe Fund dollars.

Do you have additional questions for the GiveNOLA Day team?

Please email our GiveNOLA Day team at GiveNOLA@gnof.org.