Ways to Earn Prize Money

Prizes from the South Dakota Prize Pool will be awarded in the weeks leading up to, on the day of, and in the weeks after the 2024 South Dakota Day of Giving on December 3.

Nonprofits in the state of South Dakota registered to participate through South Dakota Gives are eligible for the prizes. All prizes will be awarded as grants and distributed pending receipt of final reports from participating nonprofits.

Note: All contests can be entered by tagging South Dakota Gives on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles. Nonprofits not active on social media can also enter contests by emailing hello@southdakotagives.org.

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Prizes to be awarded randomly before South Dakota Day of Giving

  1. Golden Ticket Awards: To raise awareness of the Day, we will encourage nonprofits and your followers to share our Golden Ticket post on Thursday, November 21, from 9 a.m. central/8 a.m. mountain through 12 noon central/11 a.m. mountain. During the three-hour window, individuals or nonprofits who share the post and use the hashtag #ForSouthDakota will be eligible to win a prize.

  2. Platinum Ticket Award: To raise awareness of the Day, we will encourage nonprofits and your followers to share our Platinum Ticket post on Monday, December 2, from 9 a.m. central/8 a.m. mountain through 12 noon central/11 a.m. mountain. During the hour, individuals or nonprofits who share the post and use #ForSouthDakota will be eligible to win a prize.

  3. 100 percent! Celebrate the fact that 100 percent of your nonprofit’s board members pledged to support the organization they serve during the 2024 South Dakota Day of Giving with a financial gift. Organizations who made a post will be asked to share the post and financial support during the reporting period after South Dakota Day of Giving. One organization will receive a match of their board members’ commitments, up to $5,000.

Prizes to be awarded the week of October 21

  • Making a difference in 2024! Tell us with a photo or video and a few words about a difference your organization made in 2024. We know—so many to choose from! But we’re looking for just one. Use #ForSouthDakota and tag South Dakota Gives in your post. On Friday, October 25, at 12 noon mountain, we’ll award a prize to one registered nonprofit who participated.

Prizes to be awarded the week of October 28

  • Choose one word! Tell us what generosity means to you in one word—and then use a few more words to tell us what donations to your organization make possible. Use #ForSouthDakota and tag South Dakota Gives in your post. On Friday, November 1, at 12 noon mountain, we’ll award a prize to one registered nonprofit who participated.

Prizes to be awarded the week of November 4

  • Collaboration is key! Tell us about a collaboration your organization is involved in with at least one other nonprofit that allows all collaborators to accomplish more that they could on their own. The collaboration can be long-term, short-term, or focused on a successful South Dakota Day of Giving. We want to know all about it—in four sentences or fewer! Use #ForSouthDakota and tag South Dakota Gives as well as your collaborator(s). On Friday, November 8, at 12 noon mountain, we’ll award a prize to each collaborating nonprofit from the randomly selected winner.

Prizes to be awarded the week of November 11

  • Who do you admire? Tell us about another South Dakota nonprofit whose work you admire and why in two sentences. Use #ForSouthDakota and tag both South Dakota Gives and the nonprofit you admire in your post. On Friday, November 15, at 12 noon mountain, we’ll award a prize to one registered nonprofit AND the nonprofit they admire.

Prizes to be awarded the week of November 18

  • We see the future and hope you do, too! Tell us about three priorities your organization has over the next five years that will have a positive impact on your community. Use #ForSouthDakota and tag South Dakota Gives in your post. A randomly selected nonprofit will be awarded a special prize. On Friday, November 22, at 12 noon mountain, we’ll announce the winner.

Prizes to be awarded the week of November 25

  • Thanks for giving! We want to see nonprofits thank their donors. This is the week of Thanksgiving—and the perfect time to thank donors for supporting organizations throughout the year. It’s also a perfect time to remind them they can support you and other nonprofits they love on South Dakota Day of Giving. Send us your email, too, at hello@southdakotagives.org. We’ll take all the emails we receive between November 25 and 29 and award one registered nonprofit a prize on Monday, December 2.

Prizes to be awarded on #GivingTuesday, December 3

Include your posts on Facebook, X, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Tag South Dakota Gives in all of your posts to be eligible.

  • By 2 a.m. central/1 a.m. mountain: Post a photo and let us know what your registered nonprofit is doing at this hour and include a link to your website or online giving platform. Use the hashtag #ForSouthDakota2am and tag South Dakota Gives in your post.

  • By 9 a.m. central/8 a.m. mountain: Post a picture of your office pets, mascot, or favorite furry fictional character who is helping the team stay focused for the South Dakota Day of Giving. Use the hashtag #ForSouthDakotaMascot and tag South Dakota Gives in your post..

  • By 12 noon central/11 a.m. mountain: Our buffalo needs a name! You’ve been seeing the South Dakota Gives buffalo all over social media, but our friend sadly has no name. Please post your suggestions for the buffalo’s name. Use the hashtag #IveGotTheName and tag South Dakota Gives in your post.

  • By 2 p.m. central/1 p.m. mountain: Throwback challenge! Post a picture that represents the beginning of your organization. (Bonus points for embarrassing hair or wardrobe.)! Use the hashtag #ForSouthDakotaYesterday and tag South Dakota Gives in your post.

  • By 6 p.m. central/5 p.m. mountain: Post a video update about your progress (think number of donations or dollars raised—or simply how much fun you’re having). Remind people to give! Use the hashtag #ForSouthDakotaProgress and tag South Dakota Gives in your post.

  • By 11 p.m. central/10 p.m. mountain: Post a photo of your tired team, with a last chance to give to your organization. Use the hashtag #ForSouthDakotaTired and tag South Dakota Gives in your post.

Prizes to be awarded after South Dakota Day of Giving

To participate in these prize opportunities, plan ahead. Incorporate these challenges into your South Dakota Day of Giving campaign in the days and weeks leading up to the Day or on Giving Tuesday and tell us about how you engaged with any of these prize opportunities on your post–Giving Day report form.

Prizes will be awarded for the following:

  • The most creative hashtag YOU created and integrated into social media posts. We want to see hashtags that are memorable, creative, and relate directly to your campaign and organization.

  • The most creative way a nonprofit decorated a front window, desk, sidewalk, or marquee to show what generosity means to you. Decorate something that shows your Day of Giving spirit to us and to your donors.

  • The most creative way a nonprofit engaged an elected official into their South Dakota Day of Giving campaign.

  • Placing a story about their organization and its participation in the South Dakota Day of Giving in a local print or digital media outlet. A winner will be selected from those who share a link to their media coverage.

  • Sharing with South Dakota Gives your plans to continue to engage the donors who showed up for you on the South Dakota Day of Giving. A winner will be selected from those who share their plans.

  • Filling out the online reporting form. A winner of a South Dakota Golden Ticket Award will be randomly selected from those who fill out the form—completely!