Sweepstakes

National Corporate Theatre Fund (NCTF) announced the launch of a public service announcement video competition for NCTF’s 18 member theatres and affiliates.

Cars.com, the online resource for buying and selling new and used vehicles, announced the launch of its "Cars Cares" campaign during Super Bowl XLVI. During the game, when the Cars.com commercial airs, viewers who use the Shazam App to tag the ad will earn $1 for one of seven charities in contention for a maximum $100,000 donation from the site.

The maximum $100,000 donation will be given to the charity that receives the most votes on the Cars.com Facebook page between Jan. 26 and Feb. 13.

GuideStar announced the winner of the 2011 Giving Season Giveaway. Golden Gate Basset Rescue Inc., a 1793GuideStar Exchange Seal holder that rescues basset hounds from abusive, abandoned and unwanted situations and rehabilitates homeless animals in foster homes while evaluating behavior and health problems, received the highest number of donations in November and December 2011 and won the prize of $5,000, furnished by KIMBIA.

In the past two months, more than 1,690 donations were submitted through GuideStar, generating more than $251,000 in donations to hundreds of organizations.

Public relations, marketing and social media firm Shazaaam! Public Relations is asking the public to assist in helping the agency gift $1 million in pro bono services to worthy charities. The firm, founded by entrepreneur Adrienne Lenhoff, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in business by gifting 10 worthy charities each a $100,000 in pro bono services, a total of $1 million, and has set up a link on its website for the public to vote on which charities should receive the gifts.

Political campaigns are gambling on a new fundraising strategy: the lottery. Sweepstakes-style pitches, which have this month come from President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney among others, offer supporters a shot at winning face time with the candidates.

But the contests’ fine print reveal guidelines that favor some donors over others and disqualify others altogether, reflecting just how eager politicians are to woo key voting blocs.

The Case Foundation is asking people who witness random acts of kindness this holiday season to capture those moments in photos and post them on their favorite social network. They may get a nice reward for that good deed: up to $500 for themselves and up to $5,000 for their favorite charity. The goal of the program, called #GoodSpotting, is to honor “little acts of good that go unsung” by recording them with pictures, says Allyson Burns, a spokeswoman for the Washington foundation started by the AOL founder Steve Case and his wife, Jean.

The African Media Initiative has announced a competition designed to promote digital experimentation and innovation that strengthens news organizations on the continent. The African News Innovation Challenge will award seed grants ranging from $12,500 up to $100,000. In the first phase of the competition, African journalists and publishers will be asked to identify pressing issues facing their industry, followed by a call for applications in February 2012. Winners will be chosen through a competitive judging process, and projects will be showcased at international media gatherings.

Shazaaam! Public Relations is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in business by giving back in a major way. The firm will be gifting 10 worthy charities each a $100,000 in pro bono services, a total of $1 million.

Marketing email vendor Silverpop launched a Facebook "marketing innovations" sweepstakes campaign, in which marketers can win prizes while Silverpop makes donations on their behalf to charity: water. The nonprofit organization seeks to bring clean, safe drinking water to developing nations.

The campaign, which began on Nov. 21 and will run through January 2012, is geared toward marketers and is running on Silverpop's Facebook page. For each new fan, the company will donate $1 to charity: water, with a maximum of $5,000 over the course of the promotion.

As part of its numerous community outreach initiatives, MagnaCare, a health plan management company with national reach, announced its 2011 Holiday Card Design Contest in support of charities across the country. The original hand-drawn designs of a holiday greeting card will be used as MagnaCare’s 2011 holiday card for clients, friends and family.