Thanks to SunTrust: $50,000 and over 150 Donors!

Prior to 2009, only 3% of Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta’s annual revenues came from individual donations. Most of our funding came from law firms and corporations. With the challenging economy, we realized that we had to diversify our funding sources, but we had never gotten much traction with individual donors. Over 75% of our individual donations came from Board members. What could we do to get individuals excited about making a personal gift in the middle of a recession?

Enter SunTrust. The SunTrust Bank Foundation suggested a challenge grant. If we raised $25,000 in such donations from first-time givers, the Foundation would match individual donations of $100 or more.. For an organization that had raised less than $2500 in individual donations in 2008, the challenge was a daunting but exciting one!

The SunTrust Challenge was announced on November 23, 2009, and with the help of strong year-end giving season, we were already half-way to our goal by December 31, 2009. Donations slowed down with the new year but on September 30, 2010, with help from a fundraising event hosted by the Association of Corporate Counsel – Georgia Chapter and King & Spalding, we reached the $25,000 mark!

Our next challenge will be to keep up this momentum in individual donations. So please keep Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta in mind as you plan your year-end giving.

Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta would like to thank the SunTrust Bank Foundation and the following individuals who gave $100 or more during the SunTrust Challenge (November 23, 2009 – September 30, 2010):