ZIM's Connection to Colorado Gives Day

Every year, Colorado Gives Day brings people together to support the nonprofits that strengthen our communities. For ZIM, the day also holds a special place in our history: we helped champion the idea before the first gifts were made. As Colorado Gives Day approaches, I’m reminded of the early conversations that helped launch it and the generosity that has fueled its growth ever since.

In August 2010, I had a networking coffee with Mike Jackson, the Director of Nonprofit Relations at the Community First Foundation (now Colorado Gives Foundation). During the coffee, Mike explained a new initiative that Community First was starting based on a day of giving run by a community foundation in Pittsburgh. In Pittsburgh, they raised $1.7M in their inaugural effort the year before. Community First Foundation had just secured a $1,000,000 match from FirstBank and the foundation wanted to ensure that the entire match was used.

Seeing an opportunity to make a difference, enhance our community, and support a friend, I jumped at the opportunity and ZIM became the first nonprofit consulting firm to formally endorse Colorado Gives Day in partnership with the Community First Foundation. We mentioned it to our clients, helped several of them sign up, and communicated the event in our newsletters and social media. In 2010, Colorado Gives Day raised $8M and used the entire FirstBank match. In 2025, Colorado Gives Day raised an unprecedented $56,558,773 from 103,523 donors benefiting 4,623 nonprofits. We are excited about the overall success of Colorado Gives Day, and we are proud that we were there at the very beginning and helped contribute to making our community stronger. 

Colorado Gives Day reminds us of the possibilities when nonprofits and their supporters come together. If you’re new to Colorado Gives Day or looking for ways to prepare your organization, read our previous blog, Maximizing Your Colorado Gives Day Campaign. We share practical ways to strengthen your giving profile, tell your organization’s story, and engage your board, staff, and supporters in a successful campaign.

On this Colorado Gives Day, we hope you’ll participate generously.

If you want ideas of great organizations to support, check out https://www.zimconsulting.com/our-client-partners