How to Donate on Giving Tuesday: 10 Ways to Pay it Forward
Giving Tuesday, which falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving each year, is one of the most important days of the year for nonprofits. According to GivingTuesday’s Impact Report, $3.1 billion was given in donations in the US on GivingTuesday in 2022. If you’d like to get involved and give back to your community, we’ll show you exactly how to donate on Giving Tuesday.
How to give on Giving Tuesday
When Giving Tuesday launched in 2012, it was a movement created with the intention of inspiring people to donate to and support the causes they believe in. Today, Giving Tuesday is still a day for individuals to rally together to support their community, empower each other, and raise as much money for social good as possible.
1. Give money
Giving Tuesday is the perfect day to donate money to a cause you believe in. With over 1.3 million nonprofits recognized by the IRS in the United States in 2019, there are countless ways to give back and make a difference. Fortunately, with the help of online fundraising, giving is easier than ever before.
If you’re busy and you don’t have a lot of time to devote to in-person help on Giving Tuesday, charities can always benefit from cash donations. However, be sure to check that the charity you’re donating to is verified and deemed legitimate by GuideStar before you make your donation. GuideStar provides a plethora of information, including each specific charity’s 990 form which outlines exactly how funds are allocated for the charity.
If you are looking for a way to support Black-owned businesses this Giving Tuesday, check out this list of Black-owned business fundraisers that you can support.
2. Give time
Volunteering for a local organization is an impactful way to give back to your community. Here are a few ways you can find volunteer opportunities:
- The official United States GivingTuesday website offers a resource to help you find local nonprofits in your area. Click the pins on the map to see how you can get involved.
- You can also use VounteerMatch, which is a nonprofit that matches your interests with charities in your area that are looking for volunteers.
- AmeriCorps provides government-funded opportunities to help serve your community. Their most widely known and used programs are AmeriCorps Seniors and the Volunteer Generation Fund.
3. Give food
Donating food to a local food bank and ensuring people stay nourished can be as meaningful as donating your time or money. Feeding America is a US-based nonprofit that uses its network of 200 food banks to provide meals to Americans. The organization’s local food bank map helps you easily find a location to donate food nearby.
4. Give blood
According to the Solvita (formerly known as Community Blood Center/Community Tissue Services), someone needs blood every two seconds across the country. Solvita also states that one pint of blood can help save the lives of up to three people, meaning you can make a massive impact in just 10-15 minutes. The American Red Cross makes it easy to find a drive where you can donate blood.
Where to donate on Giving Tuesday to make the biggest impact
With countless charities that do good, it can be tough to know where to make a donation on Giving Tuesday. Don’t worry if nothing comes to mind—we have a few ideas on where to give on Giving Tuesday.
5. Start your own charity fundraiser
If you want to inspire your network to donate to a specific nonprofit, you can band together with your family members and friends to start your own charity fundraiser on GoFundMe. Once your fundraiser is set up, encourage your supporters to hit the Giving Tuesday donate button. This is a simple way to have a huge impact and raise money for a charity you love.Do you run a nonprofit? You can also create a Giving Tuesday fundraiser for your own organization. Use these Giving Tuesday storytelling examples as inspiration as you write your nonprofit’s fundraiser story. Additionally, follow these nonprofit Giving Tuesday ideas and fundraiser sharing tips to drive even more donations.
6. Donate to an offbeat charity
Looking for something different? Consider making Giving Tuesday donations to one of these unique charities:
- One Tree Planted is a nonprofit dedicated to global reforestation and environmental conservation. For every dollar that is donated, one tree gets planted.
- Locks of Love, Inc. is a charity devoted to supporting children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. The organization accepts donations of hair that help provide custom hairpieces to its recipients free of charge.
- Polar Bears International is the only conservation organization that works to protect wild polar bears and their habitat in the Arctic. Along with conservation efforts, donations made to the nonprofit also support its coexistence efforts of helping polar bears and humans live safely with one another.
7. Start an online fundraiser for a friend or family member in need
Giving Tuesday has traditionally existed to support nonprofits. That said, if you have friends or family members who are in need of emergency financial assistance, why not start an online fundraiser for them? Just be sure to check in with your friend or loved one before you begin your fundraiser to make sure they’d like you to raise money for them. If you get the go-ahead, rally your community for Giving Tuesday to help give extra support to your friend or loved one.
8. Fund the charity of your choice
If you want to support a specific charity, you can donate directly to them on GoFundMe. To make things simple for you, we compiled a list of the best charities to donate to in the US.
9. Donate to a GoFundMe cause
If you don’t have time to research which charity is best for you, consider donating to a cause on GoFundMe, such as the Essentials Fund organized by GoFundMe.org, an independently registered 501(c)(3) public charity that works closely with GoFundMe. These general funds make it easy by taking the guesswork out. All you have to do is choose a cause that is close to your heart. GoFundMe.org will then donate your funds to verified fundraisers and charities around the world that support the cause you selected. Passionate about learning and education? Make a contribution to the Education Fund. As a bonus, a donation to GoFundMe.org is tax-deductible.
10. Find a charity close to your heart
Think about causes and organizations that have made an impact on your life. Do you have special memories from your childhood of playing sports? You could donate to the Special Olympics and help athletes with disabilities make similar memories.
Be an advocate for social good
Choose a cause you care about and start a fundraiser on GoFundMe this Giving Tuesday. Be sure to share your fundraiser on social media to inspire others in your social network to contribute to the charity you decide to raise money for—and get crowdfunding with the help of your friends! In the small actions we take, we all have the power to make the world a better place.