Boise’s Consumer Financial Solutions Plays Robin Hood

Consumer Financial Solutions has offered one-on-one financial counseling to the Treasure Valley and financial education courses throughout Idaho for 40 years.

Back in February, the nonprofit’s board realized the smaller organization couldn’t compete with larger Internet- and call-based operations. So, instead of burning through the organization’s cash reserves, the board decided to give its assets to other Idaho nonprofits that could use the money to expand and strengthen their work, according to CFS Chairman James Haworth.

The result was the “Win $10K for Your Idaho Nonprofit” contest that was modestly launched via a blogger.com account, http://www.win10k.blogspot.com/. Contest rules were simple: create a 30-second YouTube video explaining what your nonprofit would do with $10,000.”

An impressive 120 organizations submitted entries.

A panel of six local business leaders volunteered to watch and judge the videos, although judges did not vote for nonprofits they serve as a board member or volunteer.

Five nonprofits won $10,000 for their videos; another seven won $5,000 for their videos.

$10,000 Recipients:
• a.l.p.h.a
• Boise Bicycle Project
• Idaho Rush Soccer Club / Atticus Hoffman
• Life’s Kitchen
• Women’s & Children’s Alliance

$5,000 Recipients:
• The Arc, Inc.
• Boise Rescue Mission
• First Book: Lewis-Clark Service Corps (Lewiston, ID)
• Idaho Humane Society
• Mission Aviation Fellowship
• Southern Idaho Learning Center (Twin Falls, ID)
• World Relief

“We were so excited to hear that our video was chosen to win a $5,000 prize,” says Breanne Durham, First Book-LCSC Coordinator. First Book-LCSC is a Lewiston-based nonprofit with a mission to give children from low-income families the opportunity to own and read their first new books. “This money will allow us to give out an additional 2,000 books to literacy programs in Idaho.”

“We were blown away by the number of groups who entered the contest,” says Haworth. “It shows how there are so many needs in our communities. Idaho’s nonprofits have passionate, skilled staffs, but they need money and volunteers to continue making a difference across Idaho.”