Supporting nonprofits on GivingTuesday this year could have a bigger impact than usual

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Supporting nonprofits on GivingTuesday this year could have a bigger impact than usual

Supporting nonprofits on GivingTuesday this year could have a bigger impact than usual. Why? Because nonprofits and industry groups say donations so far are down compared with previous years.

Many organizations will look to make up the difference on GivingTuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which started as a hashtag in 2012 and has grown into one of the biggest fundraising dates on the calendar. Many nonprofits will run matching campaigns, meaning a supporter has pledged to double or sometimes triple the donation of other, smaller donors.

Combine that boost with businesses that match employee donations and it can really add up, said Tim Pries, who runs a small production studio in the Bay Area matching employee gifts to nonprofits of up to $1,000.

“It’s just kind of exponential, which makes me happy in my heart that a little bit goes a much longer way, especially on that day,” Pries said.

A large amount of charitable giving happens at the end of the calendar year, coinciding with the holidays and the time when some donors will consider the tax benefits of giving.

Large organizations offering donor-advised funds, which are financial vehicles for charitable giving, host webinars and put out reports to encourage their account holders to consider where and how much they want to give while they are gathered with their families before Thanksgiving, said Amy Pirozzolo, head of donor engagement at Fidelity Charitable.

Her organization forecasts grants from their donors will increase compared to last year, saying $9 billion has been granted as of the end of October, before the end-of-year bump which can account for 30% of the total.