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:

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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