What is #GivingTuesday?
Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many people focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. Now in it’s fifth year, it is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration.
What has #GivingTuesday accomplished?
Nonprofit engagement with #GivingTuesday, and – more importantly – giving on #GivingTuesday has exploded since it’s inception back in 2012. Just take a look at a few of the statistics from #GivingTuesday last year:
- 700,000+ people gave
- 1.08 million gifts online totaling
- $116.7 Million in online giving
- The #GivingTuesday hashtag was shared 1.3 million times and was viewed over 114 billion times on Twitter!!
When is #GivingTuesday this year?
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
What should my church be doing?
While much of #GivingTuesday’s growth has been driven by nonprofits, NGOs, charities, food banks, etc, there are TONS of opportunities for churches as well. In fact, 40% of the donations raised last Giving Tuesday went to religious organizations! If your church is looking to get a leg up on your year-end giving (and maybe close that ominous gap in your budget), #GivingTuesday is a great movement for you to be a part of! Here are a few suggestions from Giving Tuesday’s resource page for religious organizations…
- Organize an outreach event or community service opportunity on #GivingTuesday. The holidays are about more than giving and receiving presents. They’re about demonstrating love to the lowest and the least. Outreach in your neighborhood is a great way to engage your members not only in giving but in acts of service!
- Preach a sermon on generosity the Sunday before #GivingTuesday. What better time to talk about generosity than Thanksgiving Weekend?! As you lead your congregation to reflect on the myriad blessings they have received this year, encourage them to think about how they can be a blessing to others. And then talk about the mid-week outreach opportunity on Tuesday!
- Create a holiday “wish list” for individuals who are struggling this season. For many in your congregation/community, the holidays may be the toughest season of the year. Use Giving Tuesday as an opportunity to shower struggling individuals and families with love, while also providing for some of their immediate physical needs as well.
- Contact some of your high-capacity donors to setup a matching gift. Don’t forget some of the people who are already doing so much for your ministry! See if you can enlist a few of your biggest givers to leverage their giving to increase and encourage generosity in others!
Visit the #GivingTuesday website for more resources and ideas about how you can join the movement!