Celebrating 9 Years of Giving Tuesday

Back in 2012, the founders of Giving Tuesday couldn’t have imagined just how impactful their initiative would be. Now, less than 10 years later, Giving Tuesday has grown into a global movement that has raised over $2 billion.

The annual day of giving has been especially critical over the last two years, with donations to nonprofits having increased during the pandemic. In 2020, individual giving in the U.S. remained high, particularly for end-of-year giving, which was higher than past years. Even through such a challenging time, a third of nonprofits report exceeding their fundraising goals in 2021 and 87% of respondents that invested in technology reported it as impactful.

With over 56,000 nonprofits in our community, we’ve seen how access to technology enabled organizations to adapt during the pandemic and reimagine their relationships with volunteers and donors. But while technology is an important tool to accelerate impact, nothing is possible without the supporters behind their missions.

Giving Belongs to All of Us

The pandemic demonstrated that every sector, organization, and person is responsible for change. Whether it’s with money, time, or skills — we all have the power to give.

Laura DePeters, managing director of social, content & paid media at American Cancer Society said it best, “Without our volunteers, advocates, and donors, The American Cancer Society simply couldn’t do what we do. With their help we have the support to research cancer and its causes, fight for life saving policy changes, and provide emotional support to those who have been touched by cancer.”

So that’s why on this Giving Tuesday, we’re celebrating the donors and volunteers who are at the heart of our nonprofit community and sharing their perspectives on why they give to the causes they care about.

American Cancer Society: “I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2018. Went through lumpectomy, countless blood tests, heart scans chemotherapy, radiation, a year of Immunotherapy, and 5-10 years of hormone blockers. I’ve been walking ever since I completed chemo and it’s been a lifesaver. I am walking for all my pink sisters that we have lost and those that are thrivers.” – Pam Paolucci Tentinger, Volunteer and Donor

Made in Hackney: “Being able to engage and help on a one-on-one basis really gives you a different perspective on how society is coping with what we’ve been through over the last 18 months. I also love the feeling of being a meaningful and active part of the solution rather than just reading about all the challenges our community members face.” – Ned Mendez, Volunteer

Habitat for Humanity: “Josephine and I had been married for 46+ years when she passed away. Having been raised in an orphanage, and as a registered nurse, she felt a personal connection to families in need of a safe and stable home. When she learned about Habitat she immediately wanted to become a part of their mission – and she thankfully brought me along with her. Before her passing, Josephine made me promise that I’d continue to support Habitat. I kept that promise by establishing a charitable gift annuity to help more families have access to the strong foundation that a decent home provides. Josephine was always smarter than me, she had the right idea about giving, and I’m grateful to continue to honor her legacy.” – Gerald “Andy” Anderson, Habitat for Humanity Donor

UNICEF Australia: “I was originally motivated to fundraise for UNICEF to help my family in a vulnerable situation. But I’ve now come to learn that the work of UNICEF is so important all over the world and am more and more motivated to fundraise for them everyday as I see a positive difference they are making in the world.” – Nick Asteraki, UNICEF Supporter

What’s clear from these stories is that when we all give, when we all commit to sharing our resources to build a better future, we can make meaningful change that none of us could achieve alone.

Share your own stories of giving on social media using #ActionMeetsImpact and tagging @SalesforceOrg.

Learn more about the latest nonprofit trends and how technology can power purpose.

About the Author

Rob Acker
CEO at Salesforce.org