By Dan Domsic
Every March, college hoops fans go nuts rooting for their teams during the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament.
Two years ago, Brackets for Good was born from a March Madness tournament season that saw the Butler University Bulldogs return to the championship game for the second time in two years – and lose.
Matt McIntyre and close friend, Matt Duncan, a Fishers resident, wanted to find a way to channel the hysteria behind the tournament season to do good for others. They teamed up with another friend and coworker, Dave Cornelius, to use his website, www.challonge.com, to make the premise of Brackets for Good possible.
“Essentially, everyone is a participant in our tournament,” Duncan said.
The cause raises money for nonprofits by pitting them against each other in a bracket, an apparatus most basketball fanatics are familiar with. Fans and donors score points (or vote) for their favorite nonprofit by contributing their dollars. One dollar equals one point, with all of those dollars going to the nonprofit.
Each round of Brackets for Good’s tournament lasts one week, and the first week of this year’s competition is already underway.
Donors can see the points they score add up in real time, leading to nail biting “buzzer beaters” as donations help the nonprofits rally.
“I can definitely tell you the end of each round is really intense with donations,” Duncan said.
The overall tournament winner is awarded $5,000 by the title sponsor; this year’s being marketing company Innovative.
Last year, Brackets for Good raised more than $31,000, including the grand prize, according to Duncan.
Last year’s winner was YMCA Camp Tecumseh.
Brackets for Good also expanded to Washington, D.C.
To donate and be part of the competition, visit www.indianapolis.bracketsforgood.com.
Nonprofits competing in this year’s Indianapolis Brackets for Good:
Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, Mozel Sanders Foundation, Trusted Mentors, Youth Mentoring Initiative, Girls on the Run Hamilton County, Jameson Club, Founts of Hope International, Inc., Freewheelin’ Community Bikes, YMCA Camp Tecumseh, Shepherd Community Center, IPS Education Foundation, Camptown, Families First, Project Home Indy, Mental Health America of Greater Indianapolis and Junior Achievement of Central Indiana