Be a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a current IRS determination letter.
Be registered with the Pennsylvania Department of State Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations, unless otherwise exempt
Prepare and submit a complete IRS Form 990 annually or demonstrate exemption from filing.
Have a physical address in Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Tioga, or Union County. Home offices for remote work do not qualify.
Religious organizations (except for qualified projects), institutions of higher education, private foundations, community foundations, and programs with fiscal agents are ineligible to participate.
For organizations that participated in Raise the Region 2024, they must have secured at least ten unique donors during the 2024 campaign.
FCFP reserves the right to determine eligibility and may disqualify any organization for breach of the Terms or deceptive practices.
Donation Guidelines
Donations may only be made to eligible participating organizations as approved by FCFP. A full list of eligible participating nonprofit organizations can be found at www.raisetheregion.org.
Donors must contribute a minimum of $25.00. There is no maximum donation limit. Donations must be made electronically via credit or debit card between 6:00 p.m. on March 12, 2025, and 11:59:59 p.m. on March 13, 2025. Donations must be made through www.raisetheregion.org.
Multiple donations made by one donor to the same participating organization are considered one donation for purposes of some, but not all, prize incentives.
Contributions made via FCFP donor-advised funds must be prearranged with FCFP by March 7, 2025. Gifts from other institutions donor-advised funds are not permitted.
Donations are non-refundable unless a transaction error occurs. Refunds require prior verification by contacting FCFP.
Nonprofit organizations may not provide donors with tangible benefits, goods, or services including but not limited to, tickets, advertising, meals and special privileges.
Participating organizations may not donate to themselves, directly or indirectly.
Tax-deductible receipts will be issued electronically to the donors’ email by FCFP. Nonprofit Organizations should not issue a separate tax-deductible receipt.
Donor information, including name, email, and billing address, will be shared with the recipient organization unless the donor selects the anonymity option during their transaction.
FCFP will retain donor information but will not store credit card details. Donor personal information will not be shared with or sold to outside vendors or third parties. FCFP may use this information to send periodic updates. Donors can opt out of receiving these communications by contacting FCFP or selecting the "unsubscribe" option in email correspondence.
Prize Awards & Stretch Funds
FCFP awards a variety of prizes, including stretch funds, in connection with Raise the Region. The prize awards will be available after February 24, 2025, at www.RaisetheRegion.org.
Prize awards and stretch funds will be awarded based on participation. Donations exceeding $10,000 per donor do not qualify for stretch funds.
Prize awards will be determined by donation timing, verified amounts, and other specified criteria. In the case of ties, prizes will be equally distributed among tied nonprofit organizations.
FCFP reserves the right to review and verify all donations and prize eligibility.
Donations from donors who provide false or misleading information or omit information do not qualify for incentive prizes and may be re-classified at the discretion of FCFP.
FCFP reserves the right to determine whether a gift is acceptable as part of Raise the Region and has the right to decline to accept any gift which it determines is not acceptable. FCFP’s determination is final.
FCFP will announce recipients of incentives prizes within five business days after the conclusion of Raise the Region.
Disbursement of Funds
Participating organizations will receive donations, net of any transaction fees not covered by donors, plus prize awards and stretch funds within 75 business days after the event.
In case of disputed donations, FCFP will handle disputes on behalf of the nonprofit organization. If the dispute is lost, the nonprofit organization must return the disputed amount to FCFP within 30 business days of notice.
Responsibilities of Organizations
Maintain accurate and secure administrative access to your profile on Mightycause, the online platform used for Raise the Region.
Focus marketing efforts on creating excitement leading up to Raise the Region. These efforts are at the participating nonprofit organization’s expense.
Must secure at least ten unique donors during Raise the Region 2025 to be eligible to participate in future years.
Nonprofit organizations ensure all funds raised during Raise the Region, including donations and prize awards, are for unrestricted use benefiting the communities in North Central Pennsylvania defined as Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Tioga, or Union counties.
Understand that FCFP is not responsible for the amount of money raised or the number of donors contributing during Raise the Region. The determination of whether to donate, to whom to donate and the amount to donate is exclusively within the control of the donor.
General Provisions
All determinations by FCFP regarding eligibility, prize awards, stretch funds, and other matters are final.
By participating, organizations agree to comply with the Raise the Region 2025 Rules.
FCFP reserves the right to modify the Rules as necessary to ensure the integrity and fairness of the event.