BOULDER COUNTY - Boulder County residents gave more than $1.6 million to charities on Tuesday, Dec. 4, as part of Colorado Gives Day 2012.

That was about $554,000 more than the $1,087,325 that Boulder County residents donated to charities for Colorado Gives Day in 2011. The third annual charity giving day in 2012 was sponsored by Arvada-based Community First Foundation and FirstBank Holding Co. in Lakewood.

In Boulder County, 137 nonprofit groups received $1.3 million - the majority of the money raised - from the 2012 charitable giving day. In 2011, 97 local charities received $942,000.

In all, Colorado residents made about $15 million in donations to charities across the state on Dec. 4, about $2.6 million more than the year before.

FirstBank sponsored a $300,000 incentive fund for the 2012 event as well as prizes for participants. While the one-day event is finished, people still can donate online to local charities online at GivingFirst.org through the Community First Foundation.