Sponsor Highlight: Harness Giving
When you support your favorite charities with an online donation, have you ever thought about who and what are behind the scenes making that process possible? Our guess is probably not. But if you’ve ever made an online donation to Champions, the answer may surprise you!
For those who joined us at our most recent Cheers for Champions event last week, you had the chance to learn a little bit about our partnership with a unique Tampa-based business, Harness Giving. In addition to providing our system for processing online donations, Harness has been a partner for several years in identifying new and creative ways to build more meaningful relationships and communications with amazing friends like you who make our work possible.
On this week’s blog, we chatted with Harness’ Director of Nonprofit Marketing Simonne Valdez about Harness Giving’s philosophy and approach to building community impact.
Tell us a little bit about what makes Harness Giving unique – and pretend we don’t know anything!
Harness Giving is a donation management and fundraising platform based in Downtown Tampa that helps organizations and causes raise money and engage with their supporters. Our platform makes it easy for nonprofits, charities, and other organizations to create fundraising campaigns, manage donations, and track the impact of their fundraising efforts. Our goal is to empower organizations to raise more money and make a greater impact in their communities!
What impact do you hope for Harness to have on the Tampa Bay community?
For the Tampa Bay community specifically, we hope that Harness Giving will be a catalyst for change. This is our “home” community, and we want to help local causes raise the funds they need to make a real difference in people’s lives. Whether it’s feeding the hungry, providing housing for the homeless, or supporting education, our guiding principle is that every little bit counts!
We also want to use our platform to make it easier for Tampa Bay residents to find and support organizations that are addressing the causes they care about, and to build stronger connections between them and their favorite charities. In short, we hope to empower the people and organizations of Tampa Bay to make a positive impact in our community and beyond!
How is Harness involved in the community, or how would you like to be?
We want to lead by example when it comes to making a positive impact in the community. We’re more than just a donation management and fundraising platform – we’re a team of people who are passionate about making a difference. Whether it’s through volunteer work or by supporting local initiatives, we’re always looking for ways to make a positive impact.
Most recently, we were so glad to partner with Champions for Children to host their quarterly “Cheers for Champions” event and introduce new people to the cause of child abuse prevention. In the future, we hope to continue expanding our community involvement by partnering with other organizations and causes to make a bigger impact. We want to be known as a company that is dedicated to making a difference, not just in our business but in our community as well.
What tips do you have for people who want to have the biggest impact on their favorite causes?
As a donor for various organizations myself, I believe that anyone can make a positive impact on the causes they care about, no matter how small or big their contributions may be. Here are a few tips that can help you maximize the impact of your giving:
- Get to know the cause: It’s important to understand the mission, goals, and impact of the organization you’re supporting. By learning more about the cause, you’ll be able to make more informed decisions about how to support it.
- Give your time and skills: In addition to giving money, you can also make a big impact by volunteering your time and skills. Many organizations need help with everything from event planning to social media, and your contributions can be just as valuable as a financial donation.
- Spread the word: Sharing information about a cause or organization with your friends and family can be just as important as giving money. By raising awareness, you can help the cause reach more people and raise more funds.
- Give monthly or join a Round-Ups program: Setting up a recurring donation, or rounding up your purchases to the nearest dollar and donating the difference, can add up over time and make a significant impact on your favorite cause.
- Choose wisely: Research the organization you’re considering supporting, to ensure it’s trustworthy and has a good track record of using donations effectively.
Remember, every little bit counts, and by following these tips, you can make a big impact on the causes you care about. At Harness Giving, we’re here to help you make a difference, so feel free to reach out to us if you need any help or advice on your giving journey.
Okay, now think fast – what’s the one thing you want all of our readers to know?
Whether you’re a small business owner, a student, or just someone who wants to make a difference, remember that giving a little bit each month can make a big impact in the long run on the causes you care about.
And we swear we didn’t ask this, but Simonne very kindly said it anyway (Thanks, Simonne!)
We also want to take a moment to highlight our partnership with the Champions for Children nonprofit team. Their work in the community to help pregnant women prepare for childbirth, giving parents the tools they need to provide a healthy home environment, and ensuring children hit key milestones in their learning and development is truly inspiring and we are honored to be a part of their fundraising efforts to support their mission.
We encourage others to join us in making a difference in the lives of children and families in need!