What is GivingTuesday? A Nonprofit’s Guide to a Global Giving Movement
GivingTuesday is a global movement that inspires millions of people to give back through donations, volunteering, and acts of kindness on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. What started as a simple hashtag in 2012 has grown into one of the year’s biggest giving days, with organizations in over 100 countries participating.
GivingTuesday allows nonprofits, schools, and community groups to tap into a wave of generosity and connect with people ready to support causes they care about.
When is GivingTuesday?
Although it is now a global event, GivingTuesday has historically taken place in the United States on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
This timing positions it perfectly after the major shopping days of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, creating a natural transition from consumer spending to charitable giving during the holiday season.
Because Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, GivingTuesday typically occurs in late November or early December, making it a perfect kickoff for year-end giving campaigns when many people are considering their final tax-deductible donations for the year.
Here are the upcoming GivingTuesday dates:
| Year | Date |
| 2025 | Tuesday, December 2 |
| 2026 | Tuesday, December 1 |
| 2027 | Tuesday, November 30 |
| 2028 | Tuesday, November 28 |
| 2029 | Tuesday, December 4 |
| 2030 | Tuesday, December 3 |
Origin and History: How the Movement Has Grown
GivingTuesday was created in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y, a cultural and community center in New York City, in partnership with the United Nations Foundation. The idea was simple: create a day focused on giving back as a counterbalance to the shopping frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
A simple hashtag campaign immediately caught on, uniting nonprofits, corporations, schools, and individual donors around the idea of shared generosity. Within just a few years, the movement had spread globally, with countries like the UK, Canada, Russia, and Brazil launching their own localized versions.
The numbers show its incredible growth. In the United States alone, donations jumped from $400 million in 2018 to over $3.6 billion in 2024, while millions more participated through volunteering, advocacy, and acts of kindness. Today, GivingTuesday’s decentralized approach means organizations worldwide can create their own campaigns while being part of something much bigger—a global day of giving that kicks off the year-end giving season.
Blackbaud’s Involvement as a Founding Partner
When GivingTuesday launched in 2012, Blackbaud signed on as a founding partner.
Many nonprofits participating in GivingTuesday rely on Blackbaud’s fundraising platforms, donor management software, payment processing, and data analytics capabilities for their campaigns. Blackbaud software can be the key to their fundraising success.
“We wanted to engage with donors in a new way relative to GivingTuesday,” said Richard Pummell, vice president of Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation. “The appeals created by Blackbaud definitely helped achieve that. Our integrated campaigns effectively leveraged e-blasts and landing pages to provide greater exposure to Fidelco.”
With unmatched expertise across the nonprofit and education sectors, Blackbaud’s role in GivingTuesday has always gone beyond providing software. Blackbaud uses its nonprofit network and employee giving tools to raise awareness, encourage collaboration among organizations, and ultimately connect millions of donors with causes across the globe.
GivingTuesday’s Impact
GivingTuesday has revolutionized charitable giving, becoming one of the most significant global giving events. What started as a single day now creates lasting change across the entire giving landscape, influencing how organizations of all types fundraise and how people think about generosity year-round.
Impact on Nonprofits
For nonprofits, GivingTuesday levels the playing field, allowing smaller organizations to compete for attention alongside established groups. The day helps drive new donor acquisition, with many first-time GivingTuesday donors continuing to give throughout the year. Organizations benefit from:
- Increased visibility and storytelling opportunities
- Access to new audiences through social media amplification
- Collaborative spirit that encourages resource sharing across the sector
Impact on Schools
Educational institutions from K-12 schools to universities use GivingTuesday to rally their communities around specific needs like technology, scholarships, and facility improvements. Private schools and higher education institutions see particularly strong participation rates by engaging students, faculty, alumni, and parents in unified giving efforts.
The day also serves as an educational opportunity, teaching younger generations about philanthropy and civic engagement while strengthening school spirit and community bonds.
Impact on Corporations
Companies leverage GivingTuesday to demonstrate social responsibility through employee giving campaigns, volunteer initiatives, and customer engagement strategies. Corporate participation includes matching gift programs, skills-based volunteering, and cause marketing campaigns that create positive brand associations.
The movement provides businesses with an authentic framework to showcase their values while driving meaningful community support.
Impact on Donors
GivingTuesday has changed how people think about and participate in charitable giving. The day makes giving feel more accessible and impactful, with many first-time donors discovering new organizations they continue supporting throughout the year.
The movement’s emphasis on collective action creates a sense of community around giving, making people feel part of something bigger than individual donations. Social media amplification helps donors see the real-time impact of their gifts and encourages them to share their giving with friends and family, often inspiring others to participate as well.
Key Facts and Stats
- $3.6 billion raised in the United States in 2024, a 16% increase over 2023
- Over $18.5 billion in total U.S. donations since the movement launched in 2012
- 36.1 million people participated in GivingTuesday 2024 in the U.S., a record high
- Nearly 100 countries participate in the global movement with official country events
- 18.5 million people made monetary contributions in 2024, with additional millions volunteering, advocating, and donating goods
Sources from https://www.givingtuesday.org/.
GivingTuesday FAQs
Is GivingTuesday the same as National Day of Giving?
GivingTuesday is the official name of the day and movement, although “National Day of Giving” is sometimes used interchangeably and is referring to the same event.
How is GivingTuesday different from other giving days?
Unlike cause-specific awareness days, GivingTuesday is a global movement that supports all types of organizations and causes simultaneously. It’s also unique in being decentralized—there’s no single organization controlling participation, allowing communities worldwide to create their own local versions while being part of the broader movement.
What tools do fundraisers use for GivingTuesday campaigns?
Many nonprofits use Blackbaud’s fundraising platforms, donor management software, and payment processing tools to handle GivingTuesday’s increased traffic and donations. These platforms offer features like customizable donation forms, peer-to-peer fundraising, and real-time analytics to track campaign progress.
When Brother’s Brother Foundation used Blackbaud Luminate Online® for GivingTuesday for the first time, the organization saw a 700% increase in donations. Those gifts synced with their CRM, Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT®, providing a 360-degree view of donors that helped form the future of their year-round stewardship strategy.
User-friendly tools for online giving can be a game changer for GivingTuesday, in particular simple, intuitive, mobile-friendly donation forms that make giving easier. Blackbaud Donation Forms average a 30% conversion rate during GivingTuesday, with the option of zero transaction fees.
An effective online donation form has been critical to Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s GivingTuesday campaigns. In a recent campaign, 49% of donors gave through mobile, accounting for 43% of the campaign’s revenue.
“Having an unresponsive form would have meant half of our donors had a poor user experience,” said Michael Ragsdale, senior director of community programs. “Or worse, they might not have given at all.”
Is peer-to-peer fundraising effective for GivingTuesday?
Peer-to-peer fundraising makes participation in GivingTuesday accessible, easy, and fun for supporters and their networks, while helping nonprofit organizations and schools expand their pool of donors. In 2023, more than 400 organizations used the P2P platform JustGiving® from Blackbaud for their GivingTuesday campaigns, raising $1.55 million. The average donation value was $219.
With so many P2P fundraising platforms available for charitable organizations, including Blackbaud’s P2P event software, TeamRaiser, it’s easier than ever for nonprofits and schools to engage with donors and empower them to advocate for and financially support their missions.
More GivingTuesday Resources
- GivingTuesday: Planning Guide with Email and Social Templates: We’ve combined the latest fundraising insights into our free planning guide with email and social templates—refreshed for 2024—to make this your easiest and most successful GivingTuesday yet!
- New Donor Welcome Series Planning Guide: Lay the groundwork for deeper connections with first-time donors to your GivingTuesday campaign.
- Retaining First Time Donors This GivingTuesday: More than 60% of spontaneous donors who give without prior planning intend to give again. Here’s how to keep your organization front of mind.
- Stand Out This GivingTuesday: 200 Email Subject Lines: Check out the ultimate list of creative, compelling, and inspirational calls to action.
