Today Is the Day to "Give Big"

Depending on how many Seattle-area nonprofit email lists you're on, you may have received between zero and 6 million reminders that today is "GiveBIG"—the day when any money you donate to a nonprofit gets some extra bucks from the fat pockets of the Seattle Foundation.

It's a little confusing: Not all nonprofits are eligible (though a jillion of them are on the list), your donations aren't exactly matched but "stretched," and there are "Golden Tickets" of extra $1,000 gifts doled out throughout the day.

The short version: If you intend to give any money to a Seattle-area nonprofit this year, today is the day to do it.

The list of registered nonprofits is here.

A few clarifying details from the FAQ:

When does GiveBIG begin and end?

GiveBIG 2013 is a 24-hour period beginning at midnight and running through midnight, Pacific Daylight Time, on Wednesday, May 15, 2013.

How does GiveBIG work?

All donations made through The Seattle Foundation's website on GiveBIG day will receive a percentage of the matching funds (or "stretch") pool. This percentage depends on the size of the stretch pool and how much is raised in total donations on GiveBIG day. For example, if the stretch pool is $500,000 and the total amount raised that day is $2,000,000, then the stretch percentage is 25% (or 25 cents on the dollar). In other words, it is a prorated match.

All donations up to $25,000 per donor, per organization, qualify to receive funds from the GiveBIG stretch pool.

You can also, if you are so inclined, donate to the Stranger Genius Awards—which will, in turn, dole out money to kick-ass artists, by donating to Shunpike and mentioning the Stranger Genius Awards in the comments.

Our editorial staffers' favorite nonprofits are below! (It's like an office litmus test.)

David Schmader

Washington State CASA

Brendan Kiley

TeenTix

Books to Prisoners

Pat Graney Company (it's not just a Genius-level choreographer, it's a women's prison-education program as well)

On the Boards

Paul Constant

The APRIL Festival

Copper Canyon Press

Jack Straw Foundation