ILGive: $13.4M Raised in 24 Hours to Power Illinois Nonprofits
01 — The challenge
In 2014, Illinois' nonprofit sector faced a visibility gap. While GivingTuesday was gaining momentum nationally, Illinois lacked a unifying campaign to spotlight its diverse nonprofits and galvanize statewide support. Forefront recognized the need to harness this global movement to benefit local organizations, aiming to:
Elevate the profile of Illinois nonprofits.
Simplify the donation process for supporters.
Equip nonprofits with digital fundraising skills.
02 — The approach
I launched ILGive with a three-pronged strategy:
User-Friendly Giving Platform
We developed ILGive.com, the first of its kind, centralized, mobile-optimized platform allowing donors to easily find and support causes by issue area or location.Comprehensive Nonprofit Training
To ensure long-term impact, we offered a suite of resources, including webinars, toolkits, and email campaigns, to help nonprofits enhance their digital fundraising capabilities.Statewide Marketing Campaign
A robust marketing initiative was launched, featuring:$250,000 in donated media placements.
Full-page ads in the Chicago Sun-Times.
Radio spots on WBEZ.
Television appearances by Forefront staff.
Social media endorsements from influencers like Common and Adrien Grenier.
📍 Spotlight: Magnificent Mile Billboard Campaign
Turning heads—and hearts—on Chicago’s busiest shopping street
On the busiest shopping day of the year, we met consumers right where they were—with a bold reminder of what really matters.
In partnership with JCDecaux, we transformed unused billboard space along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile into a powerful moment of reflection. Steps away from high-end storefronts, one street-level billboard featured a handwritten “wishlist” that simply read:
Warm socks. A bed. A snack.
Topped with the line:
“Some wishlists are more important.”
The call to action? Save a little of what you planned to spend—and give to those who need it most.
📷 Passersby stopped. Took photos. Shared the message.
💬 Social media lit up with support.
❤️ And most importantly, the ad reminded thousands of Illinoisans to lead with generosity during a season of spending.
This campaign exemplified how a single, well-placed message can cut through the noise and move people to action. It wasn’t just about fundraising—it was about shifting culture.
$13.4 M
raised in 24 hours
90%
of participating nonprofits acquired new donors
85%
of participating nonprofits said they learned new digital fundraising tactics that will help them in their future work.
1.5M
impressions from Magnificent Mile shoppers