Giving Tuesday is immediately after Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday.  Can you guess why?

The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is the season of giving.  Following the Friday, Saturday, Monday spending spree, Giving Tuesday allows charities to piggyback on a time when consumers are in spending—and giving—frame of mind. Therefore, many nonprofits and charities use annual giving and holiday appeals to maximize donations when compared to the rest of the year.  According to Charity Navigator, “An astounding $2.47 billion was donated to U.S. nonprofits by a reported 34.8 million people on Giving Tuesday in 2020.”

Charities and nonprofits, even those with limited fundraising budgets, use digital campaigns to tap into this generosity, expand reach, and drive overall return.  And to make donating even more attractive, many Giving Tuesday digital appeals have match multipliers: Give a dollar, and an existing philanthropist matches it, increasing the impact of individuals’ donations.

You will see Giving Tuesday promotions on almost every social media platform. Perhaps you will receive appeals in your email inbox.  The list of worthy causes is almost endless. Children, education, healthcare, veterans, homeless, hunger, animal rescue, and the environment to name a few.  And though you probably cannot respond to all of them, the charities and nonprofits are presenting you with an opportunity to support their cause.  The hope of the charity is to spark something that will lead you to the DONATE button.

Only one cautionary comment.  Make sure you know the nonprofit you are supporting with your donation.  Scammers abound.  A small degree of due diligence is required when in doubt.