How Did You Do on GivingTuesday?
Chapter Leadership Brief 12.3.2021
By Steve Jacobson, AFP-NYC President
CEO, JCA, Inc.
This past Tuesday marked the 10th anniversary of GivingTuesday. Launched back in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y, and later spun off into its own nonprofit organization, GivingTuesday this year broke all prior giving records. According to the GivingTuesday Data Commons, a group of more than 300 partner organizations that pooled contribution data, over 35 million adults in the U.S. participated in GivingTuesday 2021, up about 6% from last year. In terms of dollars raised in the U.S., nonprofits earned $2.7 billion on GivingTuesday, a 9% increase from last year and a 37% increase over GivingTuesday 2019. And, while these figures are for the U.S. only, nonprofit organizations in 80 countries participated in this year’s GivingTuesday. GivingTuesday has truly become a global phenomenon.
However, GivingTuesday is not all about the money. It’s also about giving time and energy through volunteering. The organization projects that volunteering on GivingTuesday increased by 11% from last year and gifts of goods, such as clothes, food and supplies, saw an 8% increase compared to 2020.
Asha Curran, the co-founder and CEO of GivingTuesday (and an AFP-NYC speaker and supporter) summed it up perfectly: “Giving is an important metric of civic participation, a way to build the kind of society we want to live in. Our hope is that this boost of generosity is an inspiration for continued giving, kindness, and recognition of our shared humanity each day of the year.”
Some organizations, however, feel as if the competition to fundraise on GivingTuesday may reduce the amount of money that they can raise. As a result, for example, some colleges have shifted their giving days to the spring, when they feel they have more of their alumni’s attention. Other organizations have shifted their GivingTuesday strategy from asking donors for money to thanking them for their support.
Regardless of what side of the fence you are on, one thing is clear: you can’t afford to stand still. You need to engage with your existing donors, acquire new supporters and raise more money. Here at AFP-NYC, we can help. From peer-to-peer networking to our stellar professional advancement sessions to Fundraising Day in New York, we have the programs and expertise to aid in your success. Please join us!