What is Giving Tuesday? The complete guide for nonprofits (2026)

Every year, Giving Tuesday sparks a wave of generosity felt around the world. For nonprofits, it's more than just a single day on the calendar—it's an opportunity to attract new donors, rally your community, and kick off a successful year-end giving season.

Whether you're participating for the first time or looking to improve last year's results, this guide covers everything you need to know—from what Giving Tuesday is and why it matters to how to plan a successful campaign that inspires supporters and raises more for your mission.

Key takeaways

• Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement 🌎 It happens every year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and unites people worldwide in giving, volunteering, and celebrating kindness.
• Mark your calendar for December 1, 2026 🗓️ This year's Giving Tuesday is the perfect kickoff to year-end giving season—and a powerful opportunity to rally support for your mission.
• Any nonprofit can participate—no registration required 💡 Simply launch a campaign, use the #GivingTuesday hashtag, and encourage your community to give back in their own way.
• Storytelling and community engagement drive results 📣 The most successful Giving Tuesday campaigns use personal stories, visuals, and social media to inspire donors to take action.
• It's one of the biggest fundraising days of the year 💰 Millions of donors show up each year, making it one of the most powerful fundraising opportunities on the calendar.
• Givebutter makes Giving Tuesday effortless 🧈 Build and launch your free campaign with donation forms, events, and peer-to-peer fundraising. Plus, visit our Giving Tuesday hub for the latest campaign updates, resources, and participation details.

What is Giving Tuesday?

Giving Tuesday is an annual day of giving that encourages individuals, businesses, and organizations to give back to their communities.

This global movement serves as a powerful platform for nonprofits to raise funds, build awareness, and foster a culture of generosity as year-end giving ramps up.

When is Giving Tuesday?

This year, Giving Tuesday takes place on Tuesday, December 1, 2026.

What is Giving Tuesday's origin & history?

Giving Tuesday began in 2012 as a simple but powerful idea: What if there were a day dedicated to giving back, right after the shopping rush of Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

The first Giving Tuesday generated more than $10M in donations, proving the world was ready for a movement centered on generosity. What started as a hashtag quickly evolved into a global phenomenon that inspires individuals, businesses, and nonprofits to give, collaborate, and celebrate kindness.

In 2025, 38.1 million Americans donated on Giving Tuesday, equaling $4.0B. Since 2021, GivingTuesday has brought in $22.5B.

Who started Giving Tuesday?

Giving Tuesday was founded in New York City by Henry Timms, then Executive Director of the 92nd Street Y (92NY), through its Belfer Center for Innovation and Social Impact. The United Nations Foundation joined as a co-founding partner, helping launch the inaugural campaign and expand the movement globally.

In 2019, GivingTuesday became an independent nonprofit organization, and it continues to empower changemakers worldwide to embrace generosity through donations, volunteering, and everyday acts of kindness.

Is Giving Tuesday worth it for small nonprofits?

Absolutely. In fact, Giving Tuesday can be one of the best fundraising opportunities of the year for small and midsize nonprofits.

While it might seem like you'll be competing with large national organizations, Giving Tuesday isn't about having the biggest marketing budget—it's about mobilizing the community that already believes in your mission. Supporters are looking for meaningful ways to give back, and local organizations often stand out because of their authentic stories and personal connections.

Whether your goal is to acquire new donors, grow recurring giving, recruit volunteers, or build momentum for year-end fundraising, Giving Tuesday provides a powerful opportunity to engage your community around a shared day of generosity.

The key isn't having a massive team or months of planning. It's having a clear story, an easy way to give, and a thoughtful plan for reaching supporters before, during, and after Giving Tuesday. Even if this is your first campaign, you can create a meaningful experience that strengthens donor relationships long after the day is over.

How does Giving Tuesday work?

On Giving Tuesday, nonprofits harness global generosity to drive donations, recruit volunteers, and raise awareness. The movement thrives online, where campaigns and storytelling inspire action worldwide.

Here's how it works:

1. Before Giving Tuesday: Nonprofits join the movement and prepare 💪

Joining Giving Tuesday doesn't require any formal registration.

Nonprofits just have to decide that they'll participate, set up a page or donation form well before the day itself. You should also secure a Giving Tuesday matching donor and create a marketing strategy leading up to the day, encouraging donors to give to your cause.

2. On Giving Tuesday: Donations roll in 💸

Send out emails, social posts, and texts throughout the day—all with #GivingTuesday— encouraging people to give before the day is over.

To help build momentum and encourage giving, lots of nonprofits use real-time donation tracking and share live updates with their community. Additionally, nonprofits often display, track, and confirm match partner contributions right on their own campaign page.

Learn more

Discover how to find, pitch, & promote Giving Tuesday matching donations →

3. After Giving Tuesday: Gratitude takes the stage 🙏

After Giving Tuesday is over, nonprofits pivot right into donor stewardship with personalized thank-yous, impact updates, and even a welcome series for new donors. When done well, it's the perfect on-ramp to continued year-end giving.

Why is Giving Tuesday important?

Giving Tuesday reminds us of the true spirit of the holiday season, encouraging nonprofit supporters to put resources where they're needed most.

With Giving Tuesday, nonprofits can look forward to:

• Increased donations 💰 It's a concentrated day of giving, leading to a surge in support for nonprofits.
• Community building 🤝 It fosters connection and brings people together for a common cause.
• Raised awareness 📣 Nonprofits can use this day to increase awareness of their mission and impact.
• Philanthropic culture 💛 It helps to promote a broader culture of compassion and generosity.

Giving Tuesday grows bigger every year. What began in the U.S. as a small social media movement has become a global phenomenon, celebrated in over 105 countries.

How to participate in Giving Tuesday

Whether you're an individual, team, or organization, you can join the movement by giving your time, talents, or resources to support the causes you care about most.

• Donate 💸 Ask your community to chip in and help raise money for your programs, an upcoming campaign, or a new initiative.
• Volunteer 💪 Invite supporters to give back by helping with an event, joining a project, or assisting with outreach.
• Advocate 📣 Spread the word about your cause and encourage others to take action—online or in person.
• Fundraise 🎉 Find the right campaign format for your organization so all of your supporters are eager to give.

In the words of the official Giving Tuesday organization:

Whether it's making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts, and everyone has something to give.

How to start a Giving Tuesday campaign in 5 steps

Big or small, every nonprofit can make a splash on Giving Tuesday. With a solid plan and the right tools, you can turn this global day of giving into your most successful fundraiser yet—here's how.

1. Choose your campaign type 🤔

Giving Tuesday campaigns can take different forms depending on your goals, needs, and capacity. Here are some tried-and-true options:

• Plan a fundraiser
• Launch a crowdfunding campaign
• Harness the power of team fundraising
• Create volunteer opportunities
• Host a virtual silent auction
• Livestream your event

💡 Pro tip: Boost excitement for your Giving Tuesday campaign by offering a little extra incentive to give—try a donation matching campaign or sell Giving Tuesday merch.

As Fundraising Expert Floyd Jones reminds us,

"Giving Tuesday is one of the best days in the world for giving. Whether this is your first Giving Tuesday or you've participated before, don't miss out on the opportunity to get involved. Just start—take a chance, get in the game, and make things happen."

Get inspired

Explore even more Giving Tuesday fundraising ideas →

2. Set up your campaign on Givebutter 🧈

Sign up and access a full suite of free fundraising features in just a few minutes.

Many organizations create a fundraising page or fundraising event for Giving Tuesday because they're easy to set up, give you space to share your story, and let you engage donors in real time with a live supporter feed. You can take it up a notch by adding a silent auction to your event—or keep things simple with a modern, donor-friendly donation form.

If you prefer to host your Giving Tuesday campaign on your own website, you can easily add a donate button to any page or embed your Givebutter donation form directly.

3. Map out your timeline 📅

Even though Giving Tuesday is technically only 24 hours, many organizations choose to fundraise for a longer period. Select a timeline that will drive you toward your goals. Here are a few options:

• Start your campaign a week before Giving Tuesday
• Use Giving Tuesday to kickstart a year-end campaign
• Host a virtual fundraiser and leave the video up for ongoing engagement

Whichever route you take, plan ahead and map everything out starting in September or October for best results.

4. Create a communications plan 📣

Strong communication is key to a winning Giving Tuesday campaign. Make sure you have these essentials completed before launch day:

• Craft your message 💌 Think of this as your core story—share why donors should contribute to your cause and the positive impact their gift will have.
• Choose your channels 📺 Review last year's results to see where your supporters were most active (email, social media, website, etc.). Focus on the places your donors are most responsive.
• Plan your messaging sequence 🧭 Decide what Giving Tuesday emails and social media posts you'll use at each stage of your campaign.

💡 Pro tip: Keep your Giving Tuesday messaging clear and consistent. Include attention-grabbing subject lines that build urgency and provide a concise overview of your goals and mission.

5. Design a Giving Tuesday follow-up strategy 💌

Your Giving Tuesday strategy shouldn't end when the day is over. Instead, continue showing gratitude to your supporters and share how their donations have impacted your mission—without making another ask.

Here are some easy ways to connect with donors:

• Send an automated thank-you email with their donation receipt
• Follow up with a personalized Giving Tuesday video
• Mail handwritten letters or make phone calls
• Highlight your supporters on social media

Saying thank you to supporters promptly is one of the best ways to set up your next big fundraising campaign for success. With Givebutter, you can create segmented lists of Giving Tuesday donors and engage them with targeted emails and text messages.

Fundraising Expert Kait Cogswell says it best:

"A lot of your donors will be giving for the first time. And once someone has given to your cause, they want to feel part of your success. Say thank you, and let your supporters know how your campaign went. This way, donors are being thanked before you ask to give again."

Dive deeper

Level up your Giving Tuesday social media messaging →

Giving Tuesday best practices

Giving Tuesday doesn't have to be a competition with larger nonprofits. In fact, small organizations often outperform expectations because their donors have a direct, personal connection to the cause. Here's how to amplify that:

• Secure a matching partner 💸 84% of donors are more likely to give when a match is offered. Reach out to board members, local businesses, or major donors to see if they'd be willing to help amplify your goals. Remember, even a modest match can make a huge impact.
• Craft a narrative 📖 It's essential to create a specific story around your campaign instead of using a generic ask. For example, "help us feed 500 families" works much better than "help us make a difference."
• Use urgency 🌡️ Countdowns, real-time progress bars, and "match expires at midnight" framing all help to encourage donors to give right up until the finish line.
• Follow up the same day 🙏 Day-of gratitude matters as much as your post-campaign thank-yous. Acknowledge gifts in real time through social posts and campaign page updates so donors feel appreciated right away.
• Connect to year-end giving 🎁 Giving Tuesday is just the beginning of the year-end giving season, so it's important that it seamlessly flows into your next campaign. Once the day is over, continue building momentum until the last day of December.

Freebie alert!

Download your ultimate Giving Tuesday toolkit →

What are the best Giving Tuesday platforms to use?

The right platform can take your Giving Tuesday campaign from good to record-breaking. If you're not sure where to start, here's a quick look at five fundraising tools nonprofits love.

1. Givebutter: Best free, all-in-one fundraising platform

Givebutter brings together everything nonprofits need to raise more this Giving Tuesday—customizable donation forms, event ticketing, auctions, peer-to-peer fundraising, and a nonprofit CRM—all in one easy-to-use platform.

💸 Price: Givebutter is free to use when you enable optional donor tips. The Givebutter Guarantee ensures your nonprofit pays $0—no platform fees or processing fees. Givebutter Plus, which adds advanced automations, workflows, bulk texting, and more, starts at $29/month.

⭐ Best for: Nonprofits of all sizes looking to fundraise, manage donors, and grow their impact—without paying platform or processing fees.

2. GoFundMe: For individual online crowdfunding

GoFundMe makes it easy to launch a simple crowdfunding campaign in minutes. However, the main platform lacks more advanced nonprofit tools—like donor management, reporting, and CRM integrations—that organizations often need for long-term fundraising. These features are available through custom pricing plans through GoFundMe Pro.

💸 Price: GoFundMe doesn't charge a platform fee to create a fundraiser, and donor tips are optional. A 2.9% + $0.30 transaction fee applies per donation. GoFundMe Pro offers advanced fundraising and reporting tools for nonprofits, but you'll need to reach out to their team for custom pricing.

⭐ Best for: Individuals or small teams running one-time crowdfunding campaigns.

3. BetterWorld: For nonprofits hosting raffles or giveaways

BetterWorld helps nonprofits host online raffles, giveaways, and auctions. The platform allows unlimited team members and includes access to core fundraising tools, though its multiple pricing tiers can be a bit confusing for new users.

💸 Price: The free plan comes with a suggested donor contribution of 2.9% + $0.30 per card transaction. Paid plans add 2.2–5% platform fees and up to $129/month subscription fee.

⭐ Best for: Nonprofits running raffles, giveaways, or online storefronts as part of their Giving Tuesday campaign.

4. Donorbox: For international nonprofits

Donorbox offers powerful fundraising tools and supports 44+ currencies and 11+ languages. Most tools are available through the standard plan, but features like employee matching and text-to-donate cost extra.

💸 Price: Donorbox's standard plan comes with a transaction fee of 2.95% to 3.95%, depending on the feature. The Pro Plan costs $150 per month, plus processing fees between 1.75% and 2%.

⭐ Best for: International nonprofits that need multi-currency and multilingual fundraising tools.

5. Funraise: For recurring giving

Funraise offers standard fundraising features as well as the ability for one-time donors to become recurring ones—ideal for nonprofits that are looking to use Giving Tuesday as an on-ramp to year-end giving.

💸 Price: Funraise has a free plan with a platform fee of 5% and a processing fee of 2.9% + 60¢, which donors can cover.

⭐ Best for: Nonprofits looking for a simple way to turn Giving Tuesday donors into recurring ones.

Make Givebutter your Giving Tuesday hub

Every act of generosity starts with the right tools—and the right community. Givebutter brings together everything nonprofits need to power campaigns, engage supporters, and raise more for their missions.

Every year, Givebutter celebrates Giving Tuesday with special opportunities to help nonprofits raise more. Visit our Giving Tuesday hub for the latest campaign updates, resources, and participation details.

✨ Visit our Giving Tuesday hub

Explore Giving Tuesday resources & the latest campaign updates →

Create your free Givebutter account today and drive impact this Giving Tuesday and beyond! 🚀

Other Giving Tuesday FAQs

Looking for more Giving Tuesday facts and info? You've got questions—we've got answers.

Define Giving Tuesday 📖

The Giving Tuesday definition is simple: a global day of giving aimed at inspiring generosity and creating a culture of charitable giving. Beyond just raising money, it's about encouraging people to give back—whether through time, energy, or expertise.

Is Giving Tuesday Global? 🌎

Yes! Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving, currently spanning 105 countries.

When does Giving Tuesday start? 🏃‍♂️

Giving Tuesday begins at midnight on the designated Tuesday. This year, the date of Giving Tuesday is December 1, 2026.

How long does Giving Tuesday last? ⌚

Giving Tuesday lasts for an entire day. However, many nonprofits start fundraising early and keep their campaign going, using it as a kickoff for a larger year-end giving campaign.

Is Giving Tuesday one word or two? 🤔

Both! The official organization that champions it is one word: GivingTuesday, but the day itself is two words.

Do I need to register for Giving Tuesday? ✅

Registration is not required. Any organization or individual can participate by adding the Giving Tuesday hashtag and logo to social media posts and donation forms.

Are there any Giving Tuesday rules? 📏

There are no official rules for Giving Tuesday. It's a grassroots movement that encourages people to give back in their own way. Learn more from the official website.

When is Giving Tuesday 2026? 📅

The next Giving Tuesday will be on December 1, 2026.

What are some fun Giving Tuesday themes? 🥳

If you're ready to launch a generosity-inspiring Giving Tuesday campaign, try a coffee morning, community service day, or virtual gala. Choose a theme that connects with your supporters and keeps them engaged long-term.

Which organizations participate in Giving Tuesday? 🤝

Anyone can join! From local nonprofits and small businesses to major organizations like the American Red Cross, Amnesty International, and the ACLU—millions participate each year. Companies (like Givebutter!) also get involved in Giving Tuesday through donation matching.

How do supporters donate to your nonprofit on Giving Tuesday? 💰

With Givebutter, nonprofits can launch fully customizable fundraising pages in minutes, complete with photos, videos, and live donation feeds. Supporters can give however they prefer—with flexible payment options, quick donation buttons, and a seamless, mobile-friendly checkout experience.

What are some facts about Giving Tuesday? 🤓

Giving Tuesday keeps breaking its own records. Recent years have seen tens of millions of Americans give in a single day, with total giving since 2012 surpassing $22B—and the number climbs every year.

More to explore

Discover top Giving Tuesday & end-of-year giving statistics →