Minnesota colleges and charities have raised more than $7.5 million through a 24-hour online event called Give to the Max day, Tuesday.
Give to the Max is powered by GiveMN, an organization that connects nonprofits with donors using an online platform similar to a social networking site. It allows individuals to become fans of organizations and create a donor profile.
As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, the University of Minnesota Foundation was in eighth place on the Twin Cities metro area leaderboard for number of donors with about 400. By 11 p.m., those donors  contributed about $38,000.
When making a donation to the foundation, donors can choose a fundraiser to put their money toward, for example, sponsoring Whisper the barn owl at the University Raptor Center.
Jennifer Eggers, director of annual giving for the University of Minnesota Foundation, said GiveMN was great for smaller nonprofits that do not have an online giving platform or marketing team.
But for a âÄúrobustâÄù giving program like that of the University, âÄúitâÄôs Give to the Max Day every day,âÄù she said.
Instead, the foundation is using the GiveMN platform to raise money for University programs that do not have a solid alumni base.
Eggers said it was preferable for donors to use the UniversityâÄôs giving site because GiveMN charges a processing fee.
Still, Eggers praised GiveMN for raising the profile of philanthropy and charities in the state.
Other colleges and universities throughout the state are using the platform, including Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Olaf College, College of St. Benedict and Concordia College in Moorhead.
Concordia secured a match for any donations received on Give to the Max Day up to $90,000. As of 11 p.m., donations had exceeded its match by about $65,000.
Teresa Harland, vice president for advancement at Concordia, said the college did a marketing blitz to promote giving Tuesday and streamed a live rally for donors.
Concordia participated in Give to the Max Day last year and Harland said she believed its extra efforts in promoting giving Tuesday would lead to more donors and dollars.
âÄúToday, not only can you make your gift online through GiveMN,âÄù she said. âÄúBut, if you do so, you get a match and essentially double your gift.âÄù