Every November, a nonprofit leader asks me the same question: "Should we really be doing GivingTuesday?"
It's a fair question. On December 1, your donors' inboxes will be flooded with appeals, and most will be deleted unread. A few will raise more in 24 hours than the organization brought in all quarter. After 25 years of helping nonprofits raise money, I can tell you the difference is rarely the cause. It's the strategy.
Where GivingTuesday came from
GivingTuesday was born right here in New York in 2012, at the 92nd Street Y, with the United Nations Foundation as a co-founding partner. The idea was simple: after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, a day for giving. That first year raised about $10 million.
Last year, 38.1 million Americans gave an estimated $4.0 billion on GivingTuesday, up 13% from 2024. Not bad for a hashtag from the Upper East Side.
Should you do it?
Honestly? Only if you'll do it well. That $4 billion isn't spread evenly. GivingTuesday is worth it if you have a list you've cultivated, a specific need to rally around, ideally a matching gift, and a plan to thank new donors in January.
If you're planning one last-minute email, put that energy into your year-end appeal instead. A first-time donor is only valuable if they give again.
What the auction podium taught me about GivingTuesday
Most of my year is spent at the front of ballrooms, helping nonprofits with what I call day-of revenue strategy: everything from the item list and the room layout to the moment the paddles go up. Whether it's for Feed the Children, the American Cancer Society or United Way, I've seen what makes a room give. At one Memorial Sloan Kettering event, guests gave more than $400,000 in under 20 minutes.
Those 20 minutes didn't happen by accident. And the same principles work in an inbox.
People give to momentum. In a paddle raise, the first hand matters more than the biggest one. Your midday "We're 70% there!" email is your first paddles going up.
Specific beats general. I never ask a room to "support the mission." I ask for $1,000 to send a child to camp, then $500, then $100, each with a picture. Write your appeal like a Fund-a-Need: three or four clear levels, each tied to real impact.
Urgency needs a reason. A matching gift turns "please give" into "your gift doubles today." Ask a board member or your gala sponsor to put one up. If you do one thing this week, do this.
Gratitude comes first. I open every auction by thanking guests for their "donation of an evening." Donors notice when you see them as people, not wallets. Open your emails that way, and on December 2 send a real thank-you, not another ask.
Your two-week checklist
This week: set your goal, pick your story, secure your match.
Thanksgiving week: send a short "save the date."
Monday, Nov. 30: "The match goes live tomorrow."
Tuesday, Dec. 1: morning launch, midday progress update, evening last call.
Wednesday, Dec. 2: thank everyone and share the final number.
Before you send anything: test your donation page on your phone and turn on Apple Pay and Google Pay.
The nonprofits I see grow fastest don't treat GivingTuesday, year-end and the gala as separate events. They're one donor journey. Invite your GivingTuesday donors to your spring gala. They've already raised their hand once.
If you'd like a second set of eyes on your plan, or you're starting to think about your 2027 gala, just hit reply. I'm always happy to talk shop.
Here's to your best GivingTuesday yet,
Looking for more ideas? My Fundraising Insights page has posts on year-end giving and the psychology of bidding.