Pay it forward with The Big Payback

Want to pay it forward?

The Big Payback is your chance.

A communitywide online giving day hosted by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, The Big Payback was created to help local nonprofits raise much-needed unrestricted dollars and bring awareness to pressing needs in our communities.

For 24 hours beginning at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, donors can make gifts to participating nonprofits in Middle Tennessee.

More than 520 nonprofits, schools and churches are participating in this inaugural giving day.

"Every person in Middle Tennessee has been touched by a nonprofit," Community Foundation President Ellen Lehman said. "Have you gone to church, a library, a park? We are all touched by them but often don't notice.

"We need every Middle Tennessean to step up."

People making donations will be able to select from participating nonprofits based on location and service focus, such as animal care, child wellness, homelessness, education and more. Donors can support multiple nonprofits and make gifts of any size, from $10 and up.

An online leaderboard will track donations in real time — with different tracks for small nonprofits and large. On Tuesday the Big Payback bus will make stops around Nashville and deliver prize checks totaling an additional $150,000 to participating organizations who hit certain donation goals.

That has inspired some fun as local nonprofits try to inspire giving.

Tennessee Titans linebacker Moise Fokou has pledged to prank one of his teammates if his Root 53 Foundation, which provides educational and healthy-living workshops for kids from under-served communities, raises $5,000. And, in response to a dare by a Twitter follower, he also has pledged to let fans dictate whom he will prank if the nonprofit raises $10,000.

The Community Foundation is modeling its Big Payback after successful online giving days in Columbus, Ohio, and Austin, Texas.

"In their first year, they raised a colossal amount of money," Lehman said.

In 2012, nationally, charitable giving was up 1 percent, but giving online was up 10 percent. In 2013 online giving was again up, with a 13 percent increase.

While financial gains are positive, organizations such as FiftyFoward, which offers enrichment opportunities and support for adults older than 50, look at the all-day event as a way to raise awareness about their cause.

"It's a fabulous opportunity for the nonprofit community in Middle Tennessee to work together on this," communications director Susan Sizemore said. "I think the community likes to reach out and help pull one another up."

Reach Jessica Bliss at 615-259-8253 and Vicky Travis at 615-881-7216. Andy Humbles and Brian Wilson contributed to this report.

The Big Payback

What: A communitywide online giving day hosted by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. For a 24-hour period, donors can make gifts to participating nonprofits that are located in or provide services in the 40 counties of Middle Tennessee.

When: 6 a.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday

Details: To participate in The Big Payback, visit www.thebigpayback.org.