Among its many victims, the COVID-19 pandemic has also claimed a number of Idaho nonprofits.
“It’s been a rough year for a lot of nonprofits, with some running with barebones staff and volunteers,” said Summer DuPree of theIdaho Nonprofit Center. “Some organizations have managed to weather that storm, but we still have a lot of rebuilding to do.”
Idaho Gives, the statewide give-a-thon which puts nonprofits big and small in the spotlight, shifted from a one-day event in previous years to a two-week campaign in 2020. This year, organizers are tweaking the format again, to a seven-day effort.
DuPree, who serves as Idaho Gives Project Manager, visits with Morning Edition host George Prentice on the eve of this year’s launch.
“Idaho Gives is a really wonderful spot of joy and hope. And I'm really excited to be in the thick of that again.”Summer DuPree
Read the full transcript below:
GEORGE PRENTICE: It is Morning Edition on Boise State Public Radio News. Good morning. I'm George Prentice. Nonprofits are at the very heart of Idaho's economy. There are thousands of charitable nonprofits in the state with more than 50,000 nonprofit employees, and hundreds of thousands of volunteers. So each year, right about this time, Idaho Gives, which puts nonprofits center stage, gets plenty of attention. Summer DuPree is here. She is Idaho Gives Project Manager for the Idaho Nonprofit Center. And she has to be one of the busiest people in Idaho right now because Idaho Gives begins this week. Summer, good morning.
SUMMER DUPREE: Good morning,
PRENTICE: Idaho Gives took a pretty big gamble in 2020, deciding to change the event from one day and spread it out over a couple of weeks. So, what is the plan for this year?
DUPREE: As you know, last year we switched everything to two weeks from one day; and we did that because of COVID, just to give everyone as much of a chance as possible to raise funds and awareness. And so that worked out beautifully for the nonprofits. We raised close to $4,000,000. And so, we decided this year to kind of split the difference. We're not going to stick with the one day campaign…but two weeks was a little much for our team as well. So, we are splitting the difference. And we're going to do a week this year, starting April 29th and going through May 6th.
PRENTICE: Let's talk about the pandemic. It has been particularly harsh for nonprofits in Idaho. We've lost some nonprofits, haven't we?
DUPREE: We have. We have, yes. Unfortunately, it's been a rough year for a lot of nonprofits, with some running with barebones staff and volunteers. Some organizations have managed to weather that storm, but we still have a lot of rebuilding to do. So, we are looking forward to some funds coming in, because they're just as crucial this year as they were last year.
PRENTICE: Can you talk about… I've always been fascinated how Idaho Gives is a pretty big “equalizer,” in that it showcases the smallest of organizations right up next to huge nonprofits like hospitals and large performing arts organizations. But these tiny nonprofits… they get the spotlight as well.
DUPREE: They do. It is meant to be that way. We want to make sure that folks in all corners of Idaho, all the rural places… those organizations might be tiny, but they're mighty and they are doing the really hard work. And so, it's great for them to have this platform where anyone can search by causes that they're passionate about, or regions that they're passionate about. And so that really does allow for those smaller organizations to, like you said, get the spotlight and share the hard work they're doing to make the state great.
PRENTICE: Real quick….what is the website?
DUPREE: The website is IdahoGives.org.
PRENTICE: Pretty easy to know. What are you most looking forward to?
DUPREE: You know, I am most looking forward to the community coming together again. It's been a really hard year. We've all been shut up in our houses and trying to figure out the next steps. And Idaho Gives is a really wonderful spot of joy and hope in the midst of all of that. And I'm really excited to be in the thick of that again,
PRENTICE: Pace yourself… and certainly, get the right amount of sleep. She is Summer DuPree with the Idaho Nonprofit Center. Truly, best of luck this year.
DUPREE: Thank you so much.
Find reporter George Prentice on Twitter @georgepren
Copyright 2021 Boise State Public Radio
