Introducing Manifest: Going Beyond the Giving Cycle
Wouldn’t it be great if you won a million dollars from the lottery? Sure, we’d all like to wake up with a hefty new sum in our bank account. But what if instead of just being handed a wad of cash, your winnings included a free, trusted financial advisor, a publicist, and personal shopper who could tell you if the boots with the fur are what you really need for this season? Your money would probably go a lot farther.
That’s the idea behind our newest program: Manifest. Unlike our Rising Tide and Uplift gifts, this program gives nonprofits gifts in kind by donating the time of DJHD staff and contractors to work with nonprofits to be more effective at what they do. These organizations basically get access to experts who are able to provide training and resources, all for free. This program seeks to fill in the gaps between our giving cycle and what nonprofits really need.
We only have so many slots available for our Rising Tide and Uplift giving programs, and many nonprofits don’t want to wait the six to ten years to get to their turn for the big cash gift. Oftentimes, the money is not what they need most anyway – though it certainly does help. Some nonprofits desperately need help in reaching out to other donors through grantwriting; some nonprofits need training with camera equipment to be able to make social media videos that engage with their community; some nonprofits need to revamp their bookkeeping in order to keep up with the donations that they are already receiving. The DJHD Foundation has access to experts in each of those areas and even more beyond, and we want to use the resources to train and empower our partnering nonprofits to be ready for those cash gifts so they can put the money directly to doing what they do best: helping their communities.
Here’s how Manifest works: Nonprofits can apply for the Manifest program. Once we have determined the organization fits our mandate and would be a good candidate for Manifest, we’ll set up an intake meeting with one of our executives to sit down with the nonprofit leadership to get an idea of what the biggest organizational needs are. From there, the DJHD Foundation will put together a bespoke plan for how we can best support and train those nonprofits, either with the Foundation’s staff or by connecting one of our trusted contractors. Once they have completed our program, the nonprofit will be eligible to receive our Rising Tide or Uplift gift.
We’ve already started working with our first set of nonprofits for 2025, and we’re excited to see how we’re able to refine and expand this program. We hope to be at the forefront of a paradigm shift in the private foundation sector, where more foundations like us also take up the challenge of going beyond their giving cycle.
(Photo right: courtesy of Cancer Care Services)
If you would like more information on this program or if you would like to apply, visit the Projects page on our website.
