A total of 27 nonprofit organizations in Butler County will get more money because of this year’s Day of Giving.

In the first year of participating in this regional event on Tuesday, county groups received donations of $73,000.

Those organizations also will each receive an equal prorated share of about $18,000 in matching funds provided by the Endowment for Butler County, a fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation which sponsored of the Day of Giving.

Leslie Osche, executive director of the United Way of Butler County, said the tally was generously more than anticipated.

“I think it’s a wonderful first year effort at a time when agencies are struggling,” Osche said. “This is a great opportunity for them.”

Osche said the Endowment for Butler County was able to participate this year because members received financial assistance in building a match pool from Newbury Reality Group, XTO Energy, EdgeMarc energy and the Snyder Group.

This is the sixth year for the event regionally.

The Endowment for Butler County initially said it would donate $10,000, but this morning endowment officials decided to increase it to $18,000 because the overall donations were so successful, according to Amy Beiler, endowment chairman.

That brought the endowment match to about 25 cents for every $1 donated.

Public donations of $4.9 million were received in an 18-hour period through The Pittsburgh Foundation’s online PittsburghGives program. That money will go to organizations in Butler, Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.

Beiler said endowment officials are pleased with the donations this year, and “we’re talking about next year right now. We’re confident that we’ll build on this for next year.”