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 2026 South Dakota Day of Giving on December 1.

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, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles. Nonprofits not active on social media can also enter contests by emailing hello@southdakotagives.org.

Prizes to be awarded the week of October 19

• Great Places, New Faces! Tell us about someone new that joined you in your mission within the past year. It could be a new donor, board member, or volunteer. Thank that person for their impact! Use #ForSouthDakota and tag South Dakota Gives in your post. On Friday, October 23, at 1 p.m. central/12 noon mountain, we’ll award a prize to one registered nonprofit who participated.

Prizes to be awarded the week of October 26

• The Future is Bright! Our work is big and our dreams are bigger! Tell us about two things your organization is hoping to accomplish in 2027 and how those goals will enhance your mission. Use #ForSouthDakota and tag South Dakota Gives in your post. On Friday, October 30, at 1 p.m. central/12 noon mountain, we’ll award a prize to one registered nonprofit who participated.

Prizes to be awarded the week of November 2

• 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 6, at 1 p.m. central/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 9

• Complete the Picture! Sometimes we don't always get to tell funders the full story of our impact. We want to know one thing you wish funders and donors knew more about for your organization. Do you serve the entire state? Are you an entirely volunteer-led organization? Are there pieces of your work that go unnoticed but make all the difference? Now's your chance!  Post a short (2 min or less) video about what you wish funders knew about your organization. On Friday, November 13, at 1 p.m. central/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 16

• Just The Facts Jack! Facts and data are important tools in telling the story of your organization. Give us a fact (or two!) that propel your mission. What do you wish people knew about your work? How many people, animals, communities, have you served? How many need to be served? Use #ForSouthDakota and tag South Dakota Gives in your post. A randomly selected nonprofit will be awarded a special prize. On Friday, November 20, at 1 p.m. central/12 noon mountain, we’ll announce the winner.

Prizes to be awarded the week of November 23

• 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 23 and 27 and award one registered nonprofit a prize on Monday, November 30.

Prizes to be awarded on #GivingTuesday, December 1

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

• By 2 a.m. central/1 a.m. mountain: Rise and Grind! Post a photo and let us know how you’re waking up and getting amped for SD Day of Giving 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: Tag - You’re It! Let’s play some virtual tag! Post about an organization you love - maybe someone you work with, someone you want to work with, or just another organization that you admire and tag that org. Use hashtag #ForSouthDakotaTogether and tag South Dakota Gives in your post.

• By 12 noon central/11 a.m. mountain: Mascot Mania! 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 2 p.m. central/1 p.m. mountain: Afternoon dance break! It’s a long day but momentum is essential! Show us your dance moves that are keeping your team motivated!  Use the hashtag #ForSouthDakotaDanceBreak and tag South Dakota Gives in your post.

• By 6 p.m. central/5 p.m. mountain: Progress Report! 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: That’s a Wrap! It’s been a long day and you have worked hard! 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:

• Community Hashtag Contest! We want to see hashtags that promote collaboration and cooperation within communities during this giving day. #GivingForGregory! #CaringForCuster! We are looking for a memorable, creative, and community focused rallying cry. Let us know if other nonprofits utilized this hashtag as well!

• Let’s Get Down to Business! Partnering with a local business can be a great way to spread the word about your campaign, find new audiences for your mission, and create lasting collaboration. Tell us how you partnered with a local business for your campaign! A winner will be selected from those who shared how they worked with a business partner for their Day of Giving campaign.

• Media Madness! 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.

• We ❤️ Volunteers! Tell us how you involved your volunteers in your 2025 SD Day of Giving. This could be a board member, service volunteer, or, if you are an all-volunteer organization, tell us how your leadership worked to make the 2025 Day of Giving happen.

• We ❤️ Donors! 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.

• 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.

• Report for More! 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!