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Beth Falcone and Jamie MacDonald Launch GiveCorps
Posted July 5, 2011
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GiveCorps, a tech startup founded by two Baltimore women, uses "give and get" to empower a new generation of philanthropists, who get local deals with every donation to Baltimore-area nonprofits
BALTIMORE, MD. -- GiveCorps, a social website launching in Baltimore today (July 6) aims to inspire a new generation of philanthropists and connect local nonprofits with young donors.
Built upon the concept of "Give Local, Get Local," GiveCorps is an online platform that provides an easy way for donors to learn about and give to local nonprofit organizations and get discounts from area merchants in return. GiveCorps launches with a featured project from nonprofit Wide Angle Youth Media and a deal for acclaimed restaurant Woodberry Kitchen.
GiveCorps sends a daily email to its subscriber base promoting a featured nonprofit project called the Big Give. On the GiveCorps website, subscribers can make contributions and share the project through email and social media. The Big Give is extensively promoted through GiveCorps' social media channels.
Donors are encouraged to make small donations toward projects that inspire them, and the daily collective donations, a form of crowdfunding, will become a critical new source of fundraising revenue for local nonprofits. GiveCorps' goal is to inspire 500 citizens each day to give $25 to the daily Big Give.
GiveCorps then rewards donors with deals and discounts from area merchants. The discounts provide compelling rewards to those giving back to their community and increase daily unique visitors to the GiveCorps website.
"The ‘give and get' notion plays off of both localism and the daily deal boom. We highlight compelling local projects and reward givers with local deals, so everyone wins," said Jamie McDonald, GiveCorps co-founder and CEO.
GiveCorps also plans to expand its local platform and model to other U.S. cities, including in Philadelphia in the fall.
The idea for GiveCorps was born out of the two co-founders' mutual interest in spurring philanthropy among young donors, volunteers and board members. McDonald and Beth Falcone, co-founder and president, have extensive backgrounds in the business and nonprofit sectors.
"The site will transform the way Baltimoreans view philanthropy. Nonprofits need new, younger donors, and those donors want an easy way to give. With GiveCorps, they can now connect quickly and easily every day," Falcone said.
Local nonprofits are excited about working with GiveCorps and using the platform for fundraising and connecting with a new generation of philanthropists.
"We're thrilled to be an early supporter and partner of GiveCorps. The company's innovative platform will help us raise critical funds and reach and inspire a new contingent of young donors," said Jackie Carrera, president and CEO of the Parks & People Foundation.
More than 25 nonprofit organizations have already agreed to use the GiveCorps platform, including Athletes Serving Athletes, Baltimore BORN, Baltimore Kids Chess League, the Casey Cares Foundation, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, CenterStage Associates, Community Law in Action, the Incentive Mentoring Program, The Living Classrooms Foundation, the Parks & People Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Charities, the SEED Foundation, the Tyanna Foundation, Wide Angle Youth Media, the Women's Housing Coalition, and WYPR-FM.
GiveCorps' site was designed by Mission Media, with programming from SmartLogic. Donations given through the website are made to the GiveCorps Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity, which will send funds to the donor's designated nonprofits.
To become part of the "Give Local, Get Local" movement, visit www.givecorps.com.
About GiveCorps and its founders:
GiveCorps was founded in 2010 by Baltimore residents Jamie McDonald and Beth Falcone. They saw a need to expand the pool of donors to local nonprofits through social media by engaging young donors.
Jamie McDonald is the CEO of GiveCorps. Before becoming an entrepreneur and managing partner of McDonald Growth Strategy, a consultancy, McDonald was a managing director at Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown, where she enjoyed a 16-year career, including two years as chief operating officer of the group that focused on Deutsche Banc's Fortune 100 investment banking clients.
McDonald has served as co-chair of Tocqueville Campaign for the United Way of Central Maryland and sat on the national board of the Keewaydin Foundation. She was the founding president of the Board of Directors of the Police Athletic League of Baltimore City and has also served as a member of then-Mayor Martin O'Malley's Economic Development Transition Committee and on the boards of the Family Tree, Live! Baltimore, and the Fund for Educational Excellence. She was named one of Baltimore Business Journal's "40 under 40."
Beth Falcone is the president and chief operating officer of GiveCorps. She has a diverse background in financial analysis, reporting, banking, institutional advancement and fundraising. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Falcone worked in affordable housing finance.
At Maryland National Bank, Falcone underwrote and managed a $30 million investment portfolio in low-income housing tax credit syndications and managed an $8 million affordable housing loan portfolio. As a fund manager at the Enterprise Social Investment Corporation, she structured and placed equity syndications of affordable rental housing.
Falcone is a member of the CenterStage board and chairs the Major Gifts Committee. Falcone is also Vice Chairman of the board of WYPR and on the board of the Parks & People Foundation. She has previously served on the boards of the American Red Cross, Central Maryland Chapter, the Enterprise Women's Network and the Baltimore Child Abuse Center. She holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and a BA from Dartmouth College.
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