Brackets For Good
March Madness Fundraising
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"If people are more aware and engaged in giving, they are creating better places to work, live, and play. Philanthropy develops leaders who go on to hold positions with resources and influence, and those leaders recognize the impact of giving back. This pattern creates brighter futures for our communities."
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By Erica Prosser
March Madness. The annual event that brings avid basketball fans and casual viewers, alike, together for a month of unpredictable, exhilarating competition. Night after night, teams battle for the title: national champions. All across the country, people get in on the action, filling out brackets in hopes of predicting the winner.
Meanwhile, in Indiana, Matt McIntyre and Matt Duncan are harnessing that same competition structure to raise major dollars for local nonprofits. Through Brackets For Good (BFG), McIntyre and Duncan host online, bracket-style fundraising tournaments in communities around the US. Every March, “participating nonprofit organizations compete to out fundraise their opponents, earn increased exposure, and have a chance to win $10,000.” In just 22 weeks, BFG has raised more than $2.7 million dollars for their nonprofits.
So, how does it work? Nonprofits register and go through an annual selection process – think Selection Sunday. Together with IUPUI’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, BFG has developed a survey to assess each nonprofits’ strengths and weaknesses. It uses impact measurements to sort through 300+ registered organizations and selects sixty four teams to compete in the bracket fundraiser.
Before the tournament kicks off, BFG hosts a pep rally to train the selected nonprofits on effective fundraising and marketing strategies. Then, the six-round tournament commences. Every dollar raised equals one point, and the nonprofit with the most points advances to the next round. Most obviously, the farther an organization advances, the more money and exposure they get. Each nonprofit is paired with a similarly-sized organization and continue to compete within its division until the “Philanthropic Four” round. The winner is granted $10,000 from the bracket’s corporate sponsor.
March Madness. The annual event that brings avid basketball fans and casual viewers, alike, together for a month of unpredictable, exhilarating competition. Night after night, teams battle for the title: national champions. All across the country, people get in on the action, filling out brackets in hopes of predicting the winner.
Meanwhile, in Indiana, Matt McIntyre and Matt Duncan are harnessing that same competition structure to raise major dollars for local nonprofits. Through Brackets For Good (BFG), McIntyre and Duncan host online, bracket-style fundraising tournaments in communities around the US. Every March, “participating nonprofit organizations compete to out fundraise their opponents, earn increased exposure, and have a chance to win $10,000.” In just 22 weeks, BFG has raised more than $2.7 million dollars for their nonprofits.
So, how does it work? Nonprofits register and go through an annual selection process – think Selection Sunday. Together with IUPUI’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, BFG has developed a survey to assess each nonprofits’ strengths and weaknesses. It uses impact measurements to sort through 300+ registered organizations and selects sixty four teams to compete in the bracket fundraiser.
Before the tournament kicks off, BFG hosts a pep rally to train the selected nonprofits on effective fundraising and marketing strategies. Then, the six-round tournament commences. Every dollar raised equals one point, and the nonprofit with the most points advances to the next round. Most obviously, the farther an organization advances, the more money and exposure they get. Each nonprofit is paired with a similarly-sized organization and continue to compete within its division until the “Philanthropic Four” round. The winner is granted $10,000 from the bracket’s corporate sponsor.
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McIntyre and Duncan started Brackets For Good when they had reached a point in their young careers where they were ready and able to give back to their hometown, Indianapolis. Yet, even though they were born and raised in the city, they could only name a handful of nonprofits, all of which were well-known, established organizations. They wanted to know what other organizations were working hard to have an impact in their communities. So, they set about researching local nonprofits in need of funding.
McIntyre calls himself a short-term philanthropist but a long-term marketer. He vowed to use his expertise to help small nonprofits market themselves to get more engagement and, ultimately, more donors. He and his team have found a formula that works quickly to raise awareness and dollars. At the core, BFG’s mission is to help more people discover and participate in philanthropy. They harness the power of sport and the accessibility of technology to generate untapped resources for nonprofits of all sizes. BFG knows that fundraising requires the heavy-hitting stories that pull at heartstrings, but they have discovered that the enthusiasm and pure fun of competition can be as equally compelling for donors. And as McIntyre says, “Once a donor flexes that giving muscle, they want to do it again and again.” He goes on, “If people are more aware and engaged in giving, they are creating better places to work, live, and play. Philanthropy develops leaders who go on to hold positions with resources and influence, and those leaders recognize the impact of giving back. This pattern creates brighter futures for our communities.” Every BFG participant, from donors to corporate sponsors to beneficiaries, are coined “community builders”.
McIntyre calls himself a short-term philanthropist but a long-term marketer. He vowed to use his expertise to help small nonprofits market themselves to get more engagement and, ultimately, more donors. He and his team have found a formula that works quickly to raise awareness and dollars. At the core, BFG’s mission is to help more people discover and participate in philanthropy. They harness the power of sport and the accessibility of technology to generate untapped resources for nonprofits of all sizes. BFG knows that fundraising requires the heavy-hitting stories that pull at heartstrings, but they have discovered that the enthusiasm and pure fun of competition can be as equally compelling for donors. And as McIntyre says, “Once a donor flexes that giving muscle, they want to do it again and again.” He goes on, “If people are more aware and engaged in giving, they are creating better places to work, live, and play. Philanthropy develops leaders who go on to hold positions with resources and influence, and those leaders recognize the impact of giving back. This pattern creates brighter futures for our communities.” Every BFG participant, from donors to corporate sponsors to beneficiaries, are coined “community builders”.
Brackets For Good has experienced astonishing growth since it was founded in 2012. They have just three paid staff persons, and they have recruited technical volunteers to build their very own digital platform. In their first year, they raised $30,000 for eight Indianapolis nonprofits. Two short years later they had grown to 64 participants. And this year, they have expanded to twelve separate tournaments across the country, including a nationwide tournament sponsored by AT&T that boasts a $100,000 grand prize for the national champion.
The 2017 tournament wrapped up last week bringing in $3.6 million for nonprofits across the country - more than BFG raised in their first five years combined. “It’s competitive giving. Everybody wins.” It doesn’t get much simpler than that. Brackets For Good has created a winning strategy that proves nonprofits of any size are capable of raising millions.
For nonprofits interested in competing in next year’s BFG tournament, registration is already live.
Brackets For Good has experienced astonishing growth since it was founded in 2012. They have just three paid staff persons, and they have recruited technical volunteers to build their very own digital platform. In their first year, they raised $30,000 for eight Indianapolis nonprofits. Two short years later they had grown to 64 participants. And this year, they have expanded to twelve separate tournaments across the country, including a nationwide tournament sponsored by AT&T that boasts a $100,000 grand prize for the national champion.
The 2017 tournament wrapped up last week bringing in $3.6 million for nonprofits across the country - more than BFG raised in their first five years combined. “It’s competitive giving. Everybody wins.” It doesn’t get much simpler than that. Brackets For Good has created a winning strategy that proves nonprofits of any size are capable of raising millions.
For nonprofits interested in competing in next year’s BFG tournament, registration is already live.