Big Day of Giving set a new record in its 10th year. Here’s how much Sacramento raised

The 10th edition of the Big Day of Giving, the Sacramento region’s biggest single-day charity of the year, may have been the biggest yet.

More than 30,000 donors pulled in a combined total of $13.4 million in 24 hours for 718 different local nonprofit organizations on Thursday, according to the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, which organizes the annual event.

The 2022 total is still preliminary as of Friday morning, as the foundation must verify credit card reconciliations and donation-matching allocations, but the early sum would edge past the $13.3 million raised last year for an all-time record.

If verified, it would continue the streak of the event breaking its own record every year since its inception in 2013.

“Yesterday, thousands and thousands of people in our region again rallied behind the organizations that make our community healthier, stronger, and more vibrant,” Linda Beech Cutler, CEO of the foundation, said in a statement sent just after midnight. “These results are an incredible tribute to the impact of generosity and the resilience of the capital area.”

Topping the preliminary leaderboard this year was the Yolo Food Bank, which raised $367,176 from 684 different donors, followed by the Salvation Army at $316,180 from 235 donors.

Rounding out the top five were ACC Senior Services ($215,828 from 528 donors), Sacramento SPCA ($203,141 from 989 donors) and Placer Land Trust ($200,908 from 434 donors).

Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services came in at No. 6 with $197,207. First Tee Greater Sacramento, Sacramento Children’s Home, Sacramento Loaves and Fishes, and Stanford Sierra Youth and Families finished out the top 10, all pulling in between about $130,000 and $160,000. The top 20 nonprofits all raised more than $100,000.

Front Street Animal Shelter and Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services tallied the most donations, the only two reaching four digits at 1,216 and 1,007, respectively. Front Street raised $117,306, according to the preliminary leaderboard, good for No. 14.

The fundraiser has secured more than $78 million for nonprofits over the past decade, according to the Sacramento Region Community Foundation website.

Donations saw a big jump with the start of the coronavirus pandemic, which proved financially devastating to numerous nonprofits that depend on in-person events for fundraising. The Big Day raised $8.4 million in 2019, then shattered that mark with $12 million in 2020.

“What we’re seeing is a very generous city that has stepped up,” Kerry Wood, chief marketing and donor engagement officer at Sacramento Regional Community Foundation, said in 2020.

This year’s event was the last with Cutler at the helm as CEO, as she plans to retire after this year — but will continue to live in the area and contribute as a donor.

Here are some more donation numbers from Big Day of Giving 2022.

Large nonprofits

Budget: $1 million and above

1. Yolo Food Bank: 684 donations totaling $367,176.
2. The Salvation Army: 235 donations totaling $316,180.
3. ACC Senior Services: 528 donations totaling $215,828.
4. Sacramento SPCA: 989 donations totaling $203,141.
5. Placer Land Trust: 434 donations totaling $200,908.
6. Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services: 1,007 donations totaling $197,207.
7. Sacramento Children’s Home: 395 donations totaling $138,863.
8. Sacramento Loaves & Fishes: 456 donations totaling $138,371.
9. Stanford Sierra Youth & Families: 88 donations totaling $134,655.
10. The Sofia, Home of B Street Theatre: 289 donations totaling $126,216.

Medium nonprofits

Budget: $100,000 to $1 million

1. First Tee - Greater Sacramento: 327 donations totaling $160,332.
2. Kiwanis Family House: 116 donations totaling $131,846.
3. Front Street Animal Shelter: 1,216 donations totaling $117,306.
4. Friends of the Sacramento Public Library: 524 donations totaling $95,816.
5. Acres of Hope: 206 donations totaling $92,069.
6. Wellness Within: 159 donations totaling $76,729.
7. Twin Lakes Food Bank: 136 donations totaling $67,643.
8. 916 Ink: 278 donations totaling $61,499.
9. Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference: 219 donations totaling $59,766.
10. Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center: 284 donations totaling $56,223.

Small nonprofits

Budget: Under $100,000

1. Lincoln Hills Foundation: 143 donations totaling $43,411.
2. Divine Mercy Human Development Foundation: 112 donations totaling $40,880.
3. Joshua’s House Volunteer Hospice: 122 donations totaling $35,904.
4. Greater California German Shepherd Rescue: 95 donations totaling $28,742.
5. 350 Sacramento: 193 donations totaling $27,452.
6. Sisters of Nia, Inc.: 261 donations totaling $25,793.
7. Rainbow Chamber Foundation: 85 donations totaling $23,088.
8. West Sacramento Foundation: 41 donations totaling $22,766.
9. Girls Rock Sacramento: 154 donations totaling $17,946.
10. Kiwanis Club of Carmichael: 81 donations totaling $17,746.

Sacramento County nonprofits

1. The Salvation Army: 235 donations totaling $316,180.
2. ACC Senior Services: 528 donations totaling $215,828.
3. Sacramento SPCA: 989 donations totaling $203,141.
4. Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services: 1,007 donations totaling $197,207.
5. First Tee - Greater Sacramento: 327 donations totaling $160,332.
6. Sacramento Children’s Home: 395 donations totaling $138,863.
7. Sacramento Loaves & Fishes: 456 donations totaling $138,371.
8. Stanford Sierra Youth & Families: 88 donations totaling $134,655.
9. Kiwanis Family House: 116 donations totaling $131,846.
10. The Sofia, Home of B Street Theatre: 289 donations totaling $126,216.

El Dorado County nonprofits

1. Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference: 219 donations totaling $59,766.
2. 3Strands Global Foundation: 73 donations totaling $55,867.
3. CASA El Dorado: 92 donations totaling $39,995.
4. American River Conservancy: 137 donations totaling $39,582.
5. El Dorado Musical Theatre: 64 donations totaling $33,441.
6. All About Equine Animal Rescue: 147 donations totaling $29,187.
7. Animal Outreach of the Mother Lode: 243 donations totaling $26,400.
8. Fat Kitty City Humane Society: 151 donations totaling $18,649.
9. NorCal Cocker Rescue: 88 donations totaling $13,514.
10. Foothill Dog Rescue: 90 donations totaling $13,275.

Placer County nonprofits

1. Placer Land Trust: 434 donations totaling $200,908.
2. Acres of Hope: 206 donations totaling $92,069.
3. Gold Country Wildlife Rescue: 526 donations totaling $91,177.
4. Wellness Within: 159 donations totaling $76,729.
5. Placer Food Bank: 301 donations totaling $53,043.
6. FieldHaven Feline Center: 333 donations totaling $52,701.
7. Roseville Theatre Arts Academy: 192 donations totaling $51,814.
8. Placer SPCA: 308 donations totaling $48,884.
9. Lincoln Hills Foundation: 143 donations totaling $43,411.
10. The Michael Ziegler PRIDE Industries Foundation: 74 donations totaling $42,658.

Yolo County nonprofits

1. Yolo Food Bank: 684 donations totaling $367,176.
2. Yolo Crisis Nursery: 177 donations totaling $82,134.
3. Meals on Wheels Yolo County: 293 donations totaling $65,348.
4. Center for Land-Based Learning: 228 donations totaling $51,076.
5. Empower Yolo: 174 donations totaling $50,194.
6. Yolo Basin Foundation: 213 donations totaling $34,913.
7. Woodland Opera House Inc: 200 donations totaling $33,375.
8. Yolo County CASA: 158 donations totaling $29,639.
9. Yolo County SPCA: 169 donations totaling $25,612.
10. Yolo Community Foundation: 93 donations totaling $24,508.

This story was originally published May 6, 2022 at 8:11 AM.

Michael McGough

The Sacramento Bee

916-326-5508

Michael McGough is a sports and local editor for The Sacramento Bee. He previously covered breaking news and COVID-19 for The Bee, which he joined in 2016. He is a Sacramento native and graduate of Sacramento State.