Give Local SML: A Day of Giving at Smith Mountain Lake (2027)

Smith Mountain Lake’s annual online giving day has a new name and an expanding reach.

Formerly known as SML Gives, Give Local SML brings together nonprofits, donors and businesses to support organizations serving Bedford, Franklin and Pittsylvania counties of Virginia.

The next giving day is Wednesday, March 10, 2027, with early giving opening Monday, March 8. Organized by SML Good Neighbors, the event helps local nonprofits raise money, reach new supporters and build community connections.

Whether you’re a lake resident, business owner or visitor, it’s an opportunity to support the causes you care about and make a difference close to home.

Why Did SML Gives Change Its Name?

According to Lisa Lietz, executive director of SML Good Neighbors, the new name provides greater clarity and reflects the event’s growing regional impact. The change was made in spring 2026, but the mission and organizing nonprofit remain the same.

“Over the past five years, we’ve watched this event grow into something much bigger than a single day of giving,” Lietz said.

“The new name, Give Local SML, better reflects our mission of bringing together nonprofits, businesses, donors, and community members to strengthen the place we all call home. While our name has changed, our commitment to local nonprofits and the communities they serve remains exactly the same.”

The new name also helps ease community confusion with SML Gives, Inc., a separate, relatively new nonprofit focused on fighting hunger and serving primarily the south side of Smith Mountain Lake.

When Is Give Local SML 2027?

Mark your calendar for these important dates:

Nov. 1, 2026: Nonprofit applications open.

Jan. 8, 2027: Nonprofit applications close.

March 8, 2027: Early giving begins.

March 10, 2027: Give Local SML giving day.

Nonprofits Participating in SML Gives 2027

Check back February 2027 when the nonprofits are announced.

How Can I Donate?

Visit GiveLocalSML.org to learn more and, when giving opens, discover and support participating nonprofits through a shared online platform.

The event supports organizations addressing food insecurity, healthcare access, educational opportunities, housing instability, environmental stewardship, animal welfare and other community needs.

Beyond the dollars raised, Give Local SML helps nonprofits introduce their work to new donors and develop relationships that can continue throughout the year.

How Can Nonprofits Participate?

Nonprofits serving Bedford, Franklin and Pittsylvania counties can explore participation in Give Local SML 2027. Applications open Nov. 1, 2026, and close Jan. 8, 2027.

Visit GiveLocalSML.org for participation information and application details.

A Growing Tradition of Local Giving

SML Good Neighbors created the initiative in 2021 after a previous regional giving day was discontinued. The first giving event followed in 2022, providing local nonprofits with a collaborative way to connect with donors and raise essential funding.

Participation and contributions have grown substantially:

• 2022: 13 nonprofits raised more than $86,000.
• 2023: 21 nonprofits raised more than $138,000.
• 2024: 37 nonprofits raised more than $218,000.
• 2025: 37 nonprofits raised more than $235,000.
• 2026: 50 nonprofits raised $387,643 from 641 donors, exceeding the $300,000 goal.

Held March 18, the 2026 event brought cumulative fundraising to more than $1 million for nonprofits serving the Smith Mountain Lake region.

Support Give Local SML

Businesses and community members can help build on that momentum by becoming sponsors, spreading the word and supporting participating organizations.

To learn more about Give Local SML or explore sponsorship opportunities, visit GiveLocalSML.org.

Smith Mountain Lake Insiders is proud to support Give Local SML as a Silver Sponsor and the participating nonprofits that form the bedrock of our community. 

It is our hope that you’ll join us in making this another milestone event as we work together to foster a brighter and more prosperous future for the Smith Mountain Lake region!