An event meant to boost donations to community foundations throughout Manitoba just had its best showing yet.

The Giving Challenge is a 24-hour period during which the Winnipeg Foundation and the Manitoba government each match $1 for every $5 donated to any other Manitoba community foundation, up to a maximum of $2,000 each. That means $5 donations were really $7 donations.

This year, on November 17th, more than $1-million was raised through 2,084 gifts.

Neepawa’s Beautiful Plains Community Foundation had the most individual gifts, at 222. Hamiota raised the most, at more than $109,000.

“We started this five years ago, back in 2014. The first year, there was $245,000 raised in 24 hours, but this time, five years later, we’ve been gradually creeping up,” says Winnipeg Foundation CEO Rick Frost. He says it’s a reflection of the generosity of Manitobans.

Excluding the Winnipeg Foundation, there are 54 community foundations in Manitoba; 24 of them hit the maximum stretch goal during this past Giving Challenge. Community foundations invest the money donated to them and use the interest generated to give out grants.