Giving Tuesday, the day everyone is seemingly obligated to make a charitable donation, has become a staple of the fundraising calendar. But is it all it’s cracked up to be?
A Brief Overview of Giving Tuesday
Launched in 2012 as a response to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday is intended to kick off the “season of giving” by encouraging donations to nonprofits. Since then, the day has grown exponentially, with organizations large and small vying for attention, donations, and social media shares. But as the hype grows, is it really the fundraising powerhouse it claims to be? Or has it become another checkbox for organizations looking to please their boards?
Here’s my take on why Giving Tuesday might be overrated—and a few tips for making it work if you’re still determined to give it a try.
1. Oversaturation: On Giving Tuesday, nearly every organization you’ve ever encountered is flooding inboxes and social feeds with appeals. From animal shelters to environmental causes, food banks to cultural institutions—everyone’s in the same pool, vying for limited attention. In this sea of voices, it’s nearly impossible for your mission to stand out. Think of it like trying to hold a conversation in a stadium where every fan is shouting at the top of their lungs. If your organization’s voice gets lost, is it worth participating?
2. Uninspiring: Giving Tuesday is well-intentioned, but it’s one-size-fits-all. Your mission and work are unique, nuanced, and vital, and deserve to be highlighted in a way that reflects those qualities. Relying on a “holiday” that’s detached from your mission might make giving feel like an obligation rather than an inspiration. If people only think of your work on this single day of the year, it might signal a bigger issue with year-round engagement. True supporter relationships should be built on authentic connections, not hashtags.
3. Competition: Your supporters are likely getting donation requests from multiple sources on Giving Tuesday. Their college, their children’s schools, the local food bank, international aid groups—the list goes on. With everyone putting out a hand, donors may start feeling overwhelmed, less inclined to give generously, or worse, indifferent. When everyone’s doing it, the magic is lost.
The Reality: Everyone’s Counting on It (Literally)
Despite these challenges, many organizations still feel pressured to participate. The desire to show off a big donation number to the board, the manager, or in the annual report is strong. So, if you’re determined to engage in Giving Tuesday, how can you use it strategically?
Start of a Year-End Campaign
Instead of treating Giving Tuesday as a one-day blitz, think of it as the launchpad for a longer year-end campaign. Empower your supporters, staff, and volunteers to start individual crowdfunding efforts on your behalf. Imagine a coordinated effort where, on Giving Tuesday, your supporters all announce personal fundraising goals for your organization, using their networks to boost visibility.
And here’s the kicker: make it clear that this campaign will extend through the holiday season and end with the year. Platforms like Classy offer peer-to-peer fundraising tools, helping you create a campaign that empowers supporters to reach out on your behalf and maintain momentum long after Giving Tuesday is over.
A/B Testing
Yes, you can join the Giving Tuesday train—but don’t stop there. Try picking another date that aligns closely with your mission and compare the results. I recently spoke with a CSR leader at a company planning a matching gift campaign for Giving Tuesday. I suggested they also try running a similar campaign on the anniversary of the company’s IPO, encouraging employees to pay it forward and “invest in others’ success”.
With this approach, you can test if a mission-driven date yields better engagement, creating a campaign that speaks directly to the heart of your work and values.
What Do You Think? Does Giving Tuesday work for you? Or does it feel like a checkbox in an overcrowded field?
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