Central Oregon Gives is our region’s hub for end-of-year, nonprofit giving. Our digital giving platform offers a convenient clearinghouse for donors to learn about and fund 80 different nonprofits. With each donation made, the donor receives a perk such as a free cup of coffee or pint of beer, and is entered to win larger prizes. The nonprofits that receive the largest amount of funding through Central Oregon Gives receive prizes of their own from anonymous matching donors. This year, the project seeks to raise $1 million.

Donations will be accepted for seven weeks, beginning Nov. 6, 2025 and ending Dec. 31, 2025. Winners and tallies will be announced by Jan. 7, 2026.

Our application process ensures we have the most accurate information about a nonprofit. In addition, the application is a chance for our team and the donors to hear what each nonprofit is working on and how funds from this campaign can benefit the entire Central Oregon community.

Limiting the accepted applications to 80 nonprofits means that our team will have enough capacity to provide support and resources to our selected nonprofits.

This year 80 nonprofits will be selected to participate in Central Oregon Gives.

No. The best thing about Central Oregon Gives is that 100 percent of a donation goes directly to the nonprofit. To ensure this, the 2.9 percent processing fee charged by our credit card processor to accept the donation is added on top of the donation amount. For example, a $100 donation will total to $102.90 for approval by the donor. Not a penny of these funds remain with Central Oregon Gives.

Each time a donation is made the donor receives a perk such as a free cup of coffee or pint of beer, and the chance to win larger prizes being offered during that specific week of the campaign. New incentives will be added to the site each week. By contributing through Central Oregon Gives donors can also help their favorite nonprofit earn enough to qualify for one of the matching grants ranging in value from $2,000 to $15,000.

This year, we are proud to announce the generous support of local business, First Interstate Bank as a category sponsor for the Basic Needs category. There is $30,000 in additional prize money on the line from a generous anonymous donor and our new category sponsor, First Interstate Bank.

This sponsorship boosts the category prize for this category to $5,000. As in years past, the top Central Oregon Gives fundraiser will earn $15,000 in additional prize dollars. Other prizes include $2,500 for the nonprofit that earns the most donations of $25 or less and $2,500 for the top earners in each of the remaining 4 categories.

Please note that only ONE donation under $25 per person, per nonprofit, per week will be counted toward the under $25 total for that category prize. Donors are allowed to make more donations in a week to the same nonprofit to be eligible for that week’s thank you gift. Donors can also make more than one donation under $25 to multiple nonprofits in a week.

Nonprofits that actively promote Central Oregon Gives through social media, e-mail campaigns, newsletters, word of mouth and their website have the greatest success in earning extra dollars through Central Oregon Gives above and beyond their normal end-of-year giving expectations. The Central Oregon Gives team offers a Promotional Toolkit that provides nonprofits all the tools to blow the doors off their end-of-year giving through this campaign.

We strongly encourage donations through the website with credit or debit cards. This helps us keep an up-to-date, accurate tally of contributions and increases the chance that all donations will be properly credited toward the valuable nonprofit prizes.

Please note that only ONE donation under $25 per person, per nonprofit, per week will be counted toward the under $25 total for that category prize. Donors are allowed to make more donations in a week to the same nonprofit to be eligible for that week’s thank you gift. Donors can also make more than one donation under $25 to multiple nonprofits in a week.

However, if a nonprofit receives a check specifically intended for the Central Oregon Gives campaign, we will count that check toward that group’s total. The check MUST include a notification in the memo line that it is for Central Oregon Gives or is accompanied by a letter of documentation from the donor. Central Oregon Gives does not accept checks directly.

Nonprofit team members can submit Offline Donations by visiting their Nonprofit Profile Page on the Central Oregon Gives site. In your nonprofit’s donation form, enter the amount of the Offline Donation and click the Donate Now button. Then select “Nonprofit Use Only” and complete the form with the donor’s first and last name and your nonprofit’s contact email address.

In order for the Offline Donation to be processed, you must also email a photo or scanned copy of one of the following proof-of-donation documents to info@oldmegan.ctsdevs.com

1) A check payable to your nonprofit with “Central Oregon Gives” written on the memo line.

or

2) A letter of documentation written by the donor. For example:
“To whom it may concern, I wish for this donation of $[insert dollar amount here] to be accepted as a contribution to the total amount of dollars earned by [insert non-profit name here] for the Central Oregon Gives campaign. My full name is [insert name here] and I can be contacted at [insert phone and email here] with any questions about this donation.”

Offline Donations, including check documentation, must be received by Central Oregon Gives no later than Dec. 27, 2025.

Yes, totals online will include checks, but it could be up to a week from the time we receive a check from a nonprofit to when the tally is updated. Please remember that checks must be provided directly to nonprofits, not to Central Oregon Gives.

The Central Oregon Gives team has spent countless hours working to determine the most affordable method for processing the hundreds of donations we receive. Our research showed that the the best option for driving the most revenue directly to nonprofits was Stripe, a well-established and trusted credit card processing company our donors can rely on.