Giving Tuesday is the biggest giving day of the year. This playbook will help you organize goals, structure campaigns, and plan outreach so you’re ready to connect with donors and maximize results on this pivotal, competitive day.
Giving Tuesday is a global movement that takes place on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States. It was created in 2012 by New York City’s 92 Street Y and its Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact to shift from consumerism to philanthropy after Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
What began as a local effort has since grown into a worldwide movement, and the most significant day of philanthropy worldwide. In 2024, $3.6 billion was donated on Giving Tuesday in the US alone. That was a 16% increase from the year before. And over 36 million people participated. (source)
Giving Tuesday falls on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States, following Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The timing is no accident – Giving Tuesday was designed to encourage individuals, businesses, and communities to pause from consumer spending and focus instead on generosity, philanthropy, and supporting causes that make a difference.
Here are upcoming Giving Tuesday dates:
Beyond the immediate financial impact, a well-executed Giving Tuesday campaign can position your organization for long-term growth by:
On Giving Tuesday, all nonprofits are competing for mindshare. To stand out , your organization needs a clear and compelling angle that resonates with supporters and motivates them to give.
A great start? A unique and compelling name tied directly to the funding’s impact.
Because so much of Giving Tuesday activity occurs online and across social media, we also recommend live streaming. Hosting live videos on Facebook, Youtube, TikTok, orInstagram allows you to engage donors in real time, answer questions, interview beneficiaries or supporters, and share authentic stories.
With FrontStream, you can seamlessly enable donations during your live stream, making it easy for both new and returning supporters to contribute. Take a tour >
Giving Tuesday also serves as the opening of National Giving Month. With 31% of annual giving taking place in December and nearly 28% of nonprofits raising as much as half of their annual funding during this month, it is a crucial opportunity to engage donors early. Treating Giving Tuesday as the launch of year-end giving helps position your organization to maximize momentum and inspire generosity throughout the season.
Our comprehensive 42-point Giving Tuesday Checklist (included in our Giving Tuesday Resource Library) is an invaluable resource, and we want to highlight a few key points here:
At every turn, reduce manual admin and focus on engaging donors. With FrontStream, you can build and launch campaigns in a single day:
First impressions set the tone for how donors perceive your campaign. Your Giving Tuesday presence should communicate a compelling impact, and strong calls to action.
Donors respond best when they know exactly how their generosity will make an impact. Go beyond simply asking for a donation, and show what their contribution will achieve.
For example, rather than requesting $100 in general support, highlight that $100 will provide a week’s worth of meals for a family in need, or cover the supplies for a classroom project. Connecting donations directly to outcomes reinforces trust and inspires action.
Consistent branding also plays a critical role. Ensuring that visuals, messaging, and tone all align with your nonprofit’s identity builds credibility and strengthens donor confidence.
> Related: Giving Tuesday Made Simple – A Nonprofit Prep Session <
A successful Giving Tuesday campaign relies on mobilizing your entire network and making sure your message reaches the right people.
Expand your outreach to include volunteers, local businesses, board members, and major donors. Tailor your communication for each audience, acknowledging the unique relationship they have with your organization.
Take time to explain why Giving Tuesday matters and connect your mission directly to donors’ values. Showing donors exactly how their contributions are being used is much more engaging than simply asking for a set dollar amount!
> Related: Giving Tuesday Fundraising Resource Bundle <
Volunteers are the backbone of Giving Tuesday campaigns, and strong communication with them is just as important as donor outreach.
Make sure volunteers understand their responsibilities, timelines, and how their efforts contribute to the bigger picture. Provide them with clear talking points, branded materials, and updates they can share with their networks. Recognize their work and keep them motivated by showing how their involvement drives campaign momentum.
To ensure strong volunteer communication, organizations should:
Campaigns like this can feel overwhelming, but progress matters more than perfection. Even if some tasks don’t get completed, focusing on the strategies that clearly communicate your vision, engage donors, and demonstrate impact will carry your campaign forward.
Shriners Hospitals for Children: Their Giving Tuesday campaign used exciting graphics to create an engaging experience, raising over $485,000 and counting.
Vanderbilt Health: By adding a Match My Gift button, Vanderbilt Health exceeded their goal by more than 80%.
Feeding America’s Children: An anonymous donor doubled every donation, providing over 2 million meals to more than 240,000 children in need.
We know how vital Giving Tuesday is for nonprofits, and how hectic the end-of-year campaign season is.
Our services team is ready to build all customers a Giving Tuesday or End-of-Year campaign page – at no cost to you, including:
Customers can fill out this form and a member of our services team will contact you to get started.
If you’re not yet a customer, there’s still time! FrontStream pricing starts at $87/month (billed annually). Get started by taking a product tour >