Giving back to the broader community has never been easier; choices abound with a simple online search. However, local organizations may not be as easy to find. Austinites hoping to make a difference can look forward to the return of Amplify Austin Day on March 5 and 6, which drives easy and accessible donations to local nonprofits.

This annual giving event starts at 6 pm and runs for 24 hours. This opportunity is more than a collective agreement to give at the same time — although that does help. It's Amplify Austin's online portal that makes a big difference, helping users sort through fundraisers and break down amounts to donate based on what they'll achieve.

For example, if someone wants to donate to one of Austin's most well-known nonprofits, Austin Pets Alive, they can visit the fundraiser page and learn that $25 buys a week of formula for puppies and kittens, and $50 buys vaccinations for an entire litter. Similarly, they might learn that donating $100 to the Sims Foundation covers a month of psychiatry visits for someone who works in the music industry, or $200 to the Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center buys groceries to serve 300 meals a day.

Seeing an organization's needs lined up on an Amplify profile is also useful for understanding which programs are current and need the most help now.

Amplify Austin Day is organized by I Live Here I Give Here (ILHIGH), and it has raised $112.7 million for Central Texas since 2013. This year’s goal is to raise $10 million to benefit more than 700 local nonprofits.

“When the world feels big and out of control, one of the ways to really make a difference is to give back locally,” said ILHIGH Executive Director Piper Stege Nelson in a press release. “This one giving day is the perfect chance to show Central Texas not only that we care, but that together, we can make an enormous difference in our community.”

Those wishing to donate can access the list of organizations on Amplify ATX’s website or search by a cause such as education and literacy, arts and culture, LGBTQ+ and more. There are also business sponsors that are matching donations. For example, First Texas Bank will match up to $5,000 in donations to Williamson County's The Caring Place, an nonprofit helping Central Texans who are struggling with housing, paying for food, and medical crises.

Sometimes businesses (usually in the food and beverage industry) make commitments based on in-person sales. From a press release, four local businesses cause partners are committing to the following:

• Amy's Ice Creams: March 5 & 6, donating 5 percent of net sales from all Amy’s Ice Creams locations
• Howler Brothers: March 5 & 6, donating 20 percent of net sales from all in-store locations
• Perissos Vineyard & Winery: For the month of March, donating 90 percent of proceeds from online Gratis-label wine sales, plus a party on March 8 at 7214 Park Rd. 4 W., Burnet, Texas.
• Tso Chinese: For the month of March, donating $2 from every order of "World Famous Blue Crab Rangoons"

“Amplify Austin Day is the perfect opportunity to make a difference in our local community by being part of a huge generosity movement,” said Nelson.

Finally, prizes for top fundraisers further gamify the day of giving. Incentives include a pair of tickets to the Austin City Limits Music Festival from C3 Presents, $1,000 hourly prizes, and more.

The 24-hour virtual giving event runs from 6 pm on Wednesday, March 5, to 6 pm on Thursday, March 6. However, donors have already started giving early, and can continue to do so through the close of Amplify Austin Day. Donations can be as low as $5.

This article was originally published February 25, and has been updated February 26 at 2:15 pm to include newly announced information on business cause partners.