CoMoGives

CoMoGives is an annual online fundraiser that supports various nonprofit organizations around mid-Missouri, including Columbia. The fundraiser was founded and is run by the Community Foundation of Central Missouri (CFCM). 

John Baker, the executive director, says the CFCM board of directors voted in 2012 to lead an online giving campaign, and CoMoGives began in 2013. 

“That first year we had 30 brave organizations saying, ‘yes’ to what was then an untried giving format in Missouri, and we collected a total of $62,400,” Baker says. CoMoGives now has 173 organizations for 2023, with a fundraising goal of $2 million. The campaign runs from November 28 through December 31. 

Carolyn Sullivan describes CoMoGives as “a labor of love that requires a lot of resources,” but the fundraiser generates critical unrestricted revenue for area nonprofits and continues to grow year after year. As a result, CoMoGives benefits the nonprofit organizations and the tens of thousands of people the nonprofits serve. 

Baker says that without the work of the foundation, CoMoGives would not be possible. 

“We are thankful for and rely on all of our partners, and we consider partners to be our board members, donors, nonprofit organizations, professional financial and legal advisors, marketing leaders, back-office partners, and even the city of Columbia, who continues to support CFCM and has done so since 2010,” Baker says. “A community foundation needs its community to fulfill its mission — we have no purpose without those from whom donations come and to whom grants go.” 

In the past 10 years, CoMoGives has been able to raise some $9.4 million.