Nonprofit FAQ

Amplify Austin Day History and Results

What is Amplify Austin Day?

I Live Here I Give Here’s signature program, Amplify Austin Day, offers every community member the opportunity to give. Since 2013, this annual event has raised over $100 million dollars, making it the biggest giving event in Central Texas. During a single 24-hour period, from 6pm on March 5th, to 6pm on March 6th, residents across a seven-county region will come together to support more than 700 nonprofits by making a donation through the platform, AmplifyATX.org.

Who created it?

I Live Here I Give Here created this initiative in 2013. I Live Here I Give Here connects individual donors and volunteers with local causes they care about. Our community-wide programs and year-round specialty programming for businesses, nonprofits, and individuals makes giving possible for everyone.

When will Amplify Austin Day 2025 take place?

Amplify Austin Day 2025 will take place from 6pm, Wednesday, March 5 through 6pm, Thursday, March 6, 2025.

Membership Benefits

What are the benefits of participating?

I Live Here I Give Here’s Nonprofit Membership Program helps local nonprofits connect more easily with residents across the Austin and Central Texas-area through events, networking, marketing, education, and the AmplifyATX.org platform.

Since 2013, the program has helped more than 1,400 local nonprofits raise over $100 million for their missions.

Nonprofit Members enjoy year-round workshops, fundraising resources and toolkits, professional peer networking, and business connections. But the most impactful benefit is having an exclusive opportunity to participate in Amplify Austin Day–the biggest annual giving event in Central Texas.

The Nonprofit Membership Program is easy to join and open to most Central Texas nonprofits. If you work for a nonprofit or love a local organization, we encourage you to share this information to help them apply today.

Learn more about our membership benefits here.

What training opportunities are available through my membership?

I Live Here I Give Here provides an array of in-person training sessions and online resources for nonprofit members that cater to all levels, from novice users to advanced users, to ensure you have the tools and resources to run successful Amplify Austin Day, GivingTuesday, and year-round online fundraising campaigns.

Workshops & Trainings: marketing and fundraising trainings on a variety of topics to help you with your Amplify Austin Day campaign and beyond.
Nonprofit Toolkit: plug and play social media posts, ready-made campaign graphics and logos, and educational tools to help members launch a compelling and successful giving day campaign.
Nonprofit Board Seminar: The Nonprofit Board Seminar is a companion track to the Board Training Program created specifically for nonprofit employees and their current board members. The courses for this half-day program have been curated to elevate the working relationships between an organization’s board and staff.

You can register for upcoming training opportunities, review recorded training sessions from previous years, and explore webinar training opportunities with GiveGab on our Trainings page.

What are the minimum requirements for a nonprofit to be eligible to participate?

The nonprofit must be headquartered or have an office location in the Texas counties of Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, or Williamson.
The nonprofit must have proof of the organization’s or a fiscal sponsor's 501c3 and be in good standing with the IRS.
The nonprofit has a current active status with the Texas Comptroller.
The nonprofit has filed its most recent IRS 990 form or e-postcard, as required by law.
The nonprofit must agree to the 2025 Terms & Agreement during the registration process.

If your organization does not meet these minimum requirements, please reach out to Charli@ILiveHereIGiveHere.org for further information.

What are the rates for nonprofit membership dues?

Annual membership dues are dependent on the nonprofit’s size, which is determined by their operational budget.

Small organizations with an operating budget less than $100,000 - $250

Medium organizations with an operating budget between $100,000 to $500,000 - $350

Large organizations with an operating budget between $500,000 to $2.5 million - $450

Extra-Large organizations with an operating budget greater than $2.5 million - $550

Early bird rates are available in the first three weeks of registration. Registration granted after the closing deadline will incur a late fee.

When can I register?

Membership registration opens on October 7, 2024 and will remain open until January 16, 2025.

Do I have to register to participate if I participated last year?

Yes. All nonprofit organizations must renew their membership every year.

How can I stay up-to-date on Amplify Austin Day and my membership?

Your organization will be added to the nonprofit newsletter once your membership is accepted.
- During Amplify Austin season, email communication to nonprofit members will increase and is filled with critical information regarding campaign updates, important deadlines, and training opportunities for Amplify Austin Day. Please read all communications in their entirety. If you do not receive the Nonprofit Newsletter, contact Charli@ILiveHereIGiveHere.org to be added.
Follow I Live Here I Give Here on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Join our Facebook Group, the Central Texas Nonprofit Exchange, to receive real-time notifications on all things I Live Here I Give Here and Amplify Austin Day as well as share ideas with local nonprofit professionals.
Visit the Nonprofit Toolkit page frequently as it updates on a consistent basis.

Amplify Administrators

What is an Amplify Austin Administrator?

Amplify Austin Administrators have year-round access to your organization’s backend profile to edit content, review donations, and manage fundraiser campaigns. Amplify Austin Administrators are typically staff or volunteers who are managing your Amplify Austin Day campaign and/or manage the finances or donor stewardship aspects for your organization. Each Amplify Austin Administrator will be added to I Live Here I Give Here’s communication list and will receive newsletters and emails concerning their profile and the upcoming campaign.

How do I add or change my Amplify Austin Administrator?

You can update your Administrators permissions via your nonprofit backend profile at any time. For instructions, please reference this GiveGab Guide or chat with GiveGab’s Customer Success Champs in the blue chat bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of AmplifyATX.org. GiveGab’s Customer Success Champs are available from 8 am - 4 p, CST on weekdays.

Cause Categories

What are cause categories on AmplifyATX.org?

Nonprofit Members are organized into twenty cause categories on AmplifyATX.org to help givers find your organization through our search functionality. We understand that a mission may be cross-disciplined but the primary category you select will be used for reporting, search functionality, and prizes. Please review the cause category definitions here to find the best primary category for your organization.

Note: If I Live Here I Give Here secures matching dollars per category, your primary category selection will be used to determine eligibility. However, it is also up to the sponsor to determine matching criteria.

Fundraising Champions

What are Fundraising Champions?

Fundraising Champions, or peer-to-peer fundraisers, are members of the community who raise funds on behalf of the causes they care about. These champions can create custom web pages and send their personal fundraising appeal to their network of friends and family. Each Amplify Austin Day, these individuals, families, and groups of friends raised over $1M to lift up their neighbors and celebrate their passions.

I Live Here I Give here believes that when we all come together, anything is possible. With ⅓ of all online donations deriving from peer-to-peer fundraising, peer-to-peer is more important than ever. We encourage you to involve your biggest believers like staff, advocates, activists, volunteers, and your board of directors. They are your greatest champions!

When can fundraisers create profiles for Amplify Austin Day 2025?

Fundraisers can sign up to raise essential funds for their cause at any time. Fundraiser campaigns intended specifically for Amplify Austin Day 2025 can be created between January 29, 2025 and March 6, 2025.

Are there resources that I can share with my fundraisers to help with their campaign?

Yes! We provide several resources to help guide and inspire your fundraisers. To get started, review the tools available to you in our Nonprofit Toolkit or recommend that interested fundraisers review resources on our Get Involved page.

Can my supporters only create fundraising pages on Amplify Austin Day?

No! Fundraising pages are available to the community 365 days a year to fundraise for the causes they care about. Fundraisers can create pages and crowdfund for specific programs or projects, special events, or general operational funds. Whether it’s their birthday, their contribution to your charity ride or walk, or just because they love your cause, AmplifyATX.org is open for their fundraising efforts year-round.

Business Fundraisers

What is a Business Fundraiser?

I Live Here I Give Here recruits local businesses to support and promote Amplify Austin to their employees. Some businesses offer matching dollars to match employee giving. In 2024, Business Fundraisers contributed over $1.3 million to nonprofit organizations participating in Amplify Austin Day.

Matching Grants

Can I use a matching gift to amplify my organization on Amplify Austin Day?

Yes. We encourage you to seek out individual and/or corporate donors that will match donations made to your organization during Amplify Austin Day. This is a great way to incentivize giving to your organization. On average, nonprofits with matching dollars available on Amplify Austin Day raise 4.5 times more than those that don’t.

Can I display my match on my AmplifyATX.org profile?

Yes. Matching dollars are a huge motivator for giving and we want you to have the opportunity to share this information with potential donors. If your organization has a match available, you will have the ability to display this information on your organization’s profile. It is the nonprofit’s responsibility to self-identify that you have secured matching funds on your profile along with a description of that match. Donors will have the ability to search for nonprofits that have secured matching funds.

Who is responsible for disbursing my matching grant dollars?

Any funds you secure from an individual or corporate donor to match gifts made to you on Amplify Austin Day will need to be disbursed by that donor directly to you. I Live Here I Give Here will not be involved in that process.

However, if you want matching funds to be included in your Amplify Austin Day online totals, you must instruct your donor to process the matching donation to your organization on AmplifyATX.org during the 24-hour Amplify Austin Day period.

Incentives & Prizes

What incentives will be offered to boost donations on Amplify Austin Day?

I Live Here I Give Here works hard year-round to provide robust opportunities such as the I Live Here I Give Here Amplify Fund, matching dollars opportunities, grand prizes, early giving prizes, hourly prizes, and community prizes to make giving more fun and impactful for givers and nonprofits on Amplify Austin Day. A full list of prizes and matches will be available in late 2024.

Do gifts made during early giving count towards prizes?

Donors can make an early gift for Amplify Austin Day between January 29th and 5:59 pm on March 5th. Early gifts count towards Amplify Austin Day and early giving prizes but they do not count towards hourly prizes.

Can a nonprofit win more than one prize?

Yes. A nonprofit can win a maximum of 3 prizes: one hourly prize, one early giving prize, and one Amplify Austin Day prize.

How does I Live Here I Give Here determine “individual donors”?

Prizes awarded for the highest number of donors is based on individual persons donating, not the number of actual donations.

Donations

Must all donations be made through the Amplify Austin website?

Yes. AmplifyATX.org is the designated website for donors to give to participating organizations during Amplify Austin Day. To qualify for the I Live Here I Give Here Amplify Fund and prizes, donations must be made through the AmplifyATX.org platform or through I Live Here I Give Here's Offline Donation Policy by the donors themselves. Remember, AmplifyATX.org is a tool that allows individuals to donate to nonprofits on their own initiative and is not intended as a vehicle to facilitate gifts that you have already solicited through other means.

Can a nonprofit offer a premium for Amplify Austin Day gifts?

No. All gifts on Amplify Austin Day must be 100% tax-deductible. No goods or services can be provided in exchange for the donation. No donation received through AmplifyATX.org may be used for the following purposes:

To support a political campaign;
To purchase raffle tickets;
To pay for a membership, sponsorship, event, dinner, or any other activity that provides benefit to the donor(s);
To pay for personal expenses including tuition, incurred by a director, officer, or employee of your organization or any of their relatives.

Is there a service charge on Amplify Austin Day?

AmplifyATX.org is a cost-effective and successful fundraising platform. All donations included in the Amplify Austin Day totals include a platform service charge, and online donations can incur a separate bank service charge. Offline gifts (ex. Donor Advised Funds, ACHs, gifts of stocks or investment funds, checks, and cash) also incur a 7% administrative service charge.

The I Live Here I Give Here (ILHIGH) Amplify Fund is an additional pool of donations, raised by I Live Here I Give Here, that is shared pro-rata across all nonprofit members. In 2021, this fund, on average, reimbursed nonprofit members for all platform fees incurred on the day plus an additional 4% in matching funds. I Live Here I Give Here is a 501(c)3 organization and prioritizes raising incentive funds to benefit all our nonprofit members.

Is there a minimum gift amount for Amplify Austin Day?

We strongly suggest promoting $25 as the best practice minimum. However, $5 is the minimum dollar amount accepted by the platform.

Can a donor make an early donation for Amplify Austin Day?

Yes. Starting January 29, 2024, up until 5:59pm on March 5th, a donor can visit the website and make an early gift for Amplify Austin Day. Early gifts are processed on a donor’s credit card immediately, but will not reflect on the organization’s goal thermometer or Leaderboard total until 6 pm on March 5th, 2024.

Early giving is convenient for people who are busy. We encourage donors to act while giving is on their minds. Promote early giving in your communications and start your campaign with momentum.

Encourage your donors to make their gifts recurring to take care of all their annual philanthropic giving in one day. Donors can schedule their donations to be recurring monthly or quarterly throughout the year. Recurring gifts that are set to run monthly or quarterly will be processed on the donor’s credit card each month or quarter.

Please note that dollars raised through early giving will count towards Amplify Austin Day prizes and early giving prizes, but will not count towards hourly prizes.

Is there an offline donation policy for Amplify Austin Day?

Yes. I Live Here I Give Here has created an offline donation policy to account for exceptional donor situations for donations of $100 or more. Please understand we have to manage the manual resources for this process as well as maintain the intention of an online campaign. For this reason, all offline donations must be submitted by 1 pm on March 4, 2025 to qualify.

Checks accepted will not be eligible for hourly prizes consideration but will be considered for Amplify Austin Day and early giving prizes and grand totals. Note that some match donors may have stipulations on matching donations.

Donation Reporting & Grant Disbursement

How and when will participating nonprofits receive the dollars raised on Amplify Austin Day?

Members will receive all online donations, including those made during Amplify Austin Day, directly through our card processor Stripe within 5 business days. All Amplify Austin Day prizes and incentive fund allocations will be distributed directly by I Live Here I Give Here to your organization in late April 2025.

Business Fundraisers’ dollars received by I Live Here I Give Here will be distributed directly by I Live Here I Give Here to your organization by the end of the month for funds received in the same month.

How can I see who has donated to my organization?

You will have year-round access to donation tracking information in real-time as well as the donor’s information so you can thank your donors appropriately.

Does my organization need to send a tax receipt for each donation we receive?

No. I Live Here I Give Here sends an automatic confirmation of the donation and a tax receipt via email once a donor gives.

Does my organization need to send an additional thank you to our donors?

Yes. I Live Here I Give Here recommends you send a thank you note within 7 days of receiving a gift via AmplifyATX.org. A heartfelt thank you can be a key strategy in turning a donor from a one-time Amplify Austin Day supporter to a regular investor in your cause. Some donor-centered best practices include a short turnaround time, stories, and statistics that demonstrate impact, and clarity on how their gift will be put to use. Thanking donors is also a great way to engage your board in fundraising with an evening of thank you calls or the opportunity to send hand-written notes to your Amplify Austin Day supporters.

Year-Round Giving on AmplifyATX.org

What happens to my profile after Amplify Austin Day?

After Amplify Austin day, your organization's profile will remain active and local givers will be able to make donations or fundraise on your behalf securely through AmplifyATX.org.

At the end of April, your nonprofit’s profile on AmplifyATX.org will switch from your Amplify Austin Day profile to your year-round giving profile. You can edit your year-round giving profile within your dashboard by clicking on the “Amplify Austin” tab.

We encourage you to update your nonprofit's year-round profile periodically after Amplify Austin Day to provide ongoing communication with your donors about what their Amplify dollars are doing. Having a relevant and up-to-date profile will increase web traffic to your website and your organization could potentially experience residual giving based on your Amplify Austin Day activity. Peer-to-peer fundraisers will also be able to reference prior campaigns or create new campaigns to continue to support your cause year-round.

How do I keep site visitors up-to-date on our organization throughout the year?

Nonprofit members can update their profiles at any time. We recommend making sure ongoing volunteer opportunities and upcoming events are updated for individuals, families, and businesses looking to get involved. Local givers can search for nonprofits with events or volunteer opportunities as a gateway to getting involved with your mission and programs.