Providing nonprofits the opportunity to fundraise, gain exposure and build relationships, while bringing the community together to make a big impact.

SML Gives is an annual online giving day, which is a specific type of fundraising event held entirely online.  On this day, local nonprofits from Bedford and Franklin counties come together to raise money, gain exposure, and build relationships with potential donors in the community.

An online giving day is a powerful way to raise funds for charity in a short amount of time. During SML Gives, people can visit smlgives.org and donate to any of the participating nonprofits that they choose. This makes it easy for people to support the causes they care about, and it allows nonprofits to reach a wider audience than they might be able to on their own.

Franklin and Bedford Counties in Virginia are two rural counties with a combined population of about 135,000 people. Like many rural areas, they face a number of challenges, including poverty, lack of access to healthcare, limited educational opportunities and neglected or abandoned animals. Nonprofits play a vital role in addressing these challenges by providing essential services to the community. SML Gives is a call to action to give back to the community we love. 

When a previous regional giving day was discontinued, local nonprofit, SML Good Neighbors, decided to launch SML Gives in 2022 to provide a continued opportunity for local nonprofits to raise funds and exposure in the Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia area. In 2022, 13 nonprofits participated raising over $86,000. In 2023, 21 nonprofits participated raising over $138,000. In 2024, 37 nonprofits participated raising over $218,000.