The HIPGive contest, which merges technology and traditional philanthropy, is one of the biggest endeavors launched by the Latino charity juggernaut Hispanics in Philanthropy. The organization is widely recognized for growing a robust network of leaders, givers and members, all with an agenda that includes empowering and advocating for Latinos over a 30-year history of giving. Headed by HIP President Diana Campoamor, HIP has raised $45 million to fund emerging Latino and Latin American nonprofits and has found more than 170 benefactors to match funds, boosting HIP's impact.

The Western Union Foundation is one of the funders agreeing to match funds offered by HIP to the winners of the HIPGive contest. Twenty-three groups with fundraising projects curated by HIP staff and celebrity guests have been selected to appear on the online giving platform where community members are asked to donate. The winners, the first to reach their goal, will be rewarded with matched funding, fresh fundraising strategies (e.g. online fundraising, crowd-funding, social media tools) and access to new donors.

"BeHIP is a new endeavor, and we're excited to have gotten this far. The organizations have already raised $20,000," said Cuban-born Campoamor, who came to the United Stated when she was a 11-years-old and who was a journalist before she made her move to philanthropy. "This is funding from not only nonprofits but from [the Latino community], which is important. In the business of strategic philanthropy ... smart investments from Latinos across the Americas ... help from individual donors can be more effective."

The brand-new contest on the crowdfunding site rewards partner organizations for meeting fundraising goals and for expanding the donor network. Eight of the 23 will be selected as winners and will be awarded different amounts depending on their qualifying categories.

Campoamor, who has personally contributed to a number of the proposed projects -- including Wages, which offers supplemental income to low-income women and Apple Seed, which aims to assist children crossing the border alone -- shared her philanthropic beginnings and the importance of philanthropy in an interview with Latin Post.

In detailing her history with philanthropy, she disclosed that in her home country, Dia de Los Reyes Magos was celebrated in lieu of Christmas. As a child, she wrote letters to Los Reyes Magos asking not only that he gives her gifts but that he also bless for the children of los campesinos (the farmers) with whom she often played. She remarked, when she writes grants today, she feels that she's writing to Los Reyes Magos.

"I like to think that, ever since then, I've been writing grant requests to Los Reyes Magos of the modern world of the modern world ... here in the United States, whose names are Rockefeller, Ford, Jake, but also Gutierrez and Perez and many more others," Campoamor said with a small laugh, mentioning the names of sought-after donors.

While she started her nonprofit career at the YMCA as the communications director, her mother inspired her to give by continuously offering small contributions to a number of organizations, though she didn't always have much to give. Her budding concern with education, women, children and health has driven her to donate in her personal and professional life. She shared that believes that donations are "investments with a value added. They are resources that help each of us ... who are donors or philanthropist; it helps us to tell the story of Latinos as givers."

"I want to remind us that we are the givers that we are waiting for. We are Los Reyes Magos to our families, to our neighborhood groups. And, HIPGive is a tool for us to demonstrate that philanthropy," Campoamor said.

Visit the HIPGive donation platform and throw your support behind one of the many amazing causes. Follow the effort on Facebook and on Twitter. The ongoing contest ends May 16.

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