Year-end giving during a pandemic takes on a whole new meaning in this virtual world.

GivingTuesday has always been one of the largest single charitable giving days of the year.  In a year of great need and uncertainty, 2020 was like no other. The philanthropic community and its supporters rallied for a record breaking day, with 34.8 million GivingTuesday donors contributing more than $2.47 billion to United States based nonprofits on Tuesday, Dec. 1. That’s a 25% increase over the dollars raised during GivingTuesday 2019.

This year with the COVID-19 pandemic we’ve seen more innovation in fundraising as all nonprofits had to bring their events and campaigns to the virtual world. The challenge was even greater for nonprofits to standout and connect with donors online. Nonprofits who saw the greatest success went beyond just sharing an online donation form, they leveraged technology to make giving easy and to amplify their reach with existing donors and new audiences.

From virtual challenges to livestreamed events, GivingTuesday highlights the creativity, resiliency, and experimentation we’ve seen in nonprofit fundraising during the pandemic.

A great example from our own community is the TechPoint Foundation for Youth, which launched a GivingTuesday campaign to make digital equity a reality for more Indiana students by providing internet access and technology tools to K-12 students.

CLICK HERE for larger view.
CLICK HERE for larger view.

They culminated the campaign with a special donor event: “Are You Smarter Than a Robotics Team?” This virtual STEM-themed quiz night event featured local VEX Robotics elementary and high school teams. Just like we saw nationwide, the local Indy community helped TechPoint Foundation for Youth surpass its goal by 133%.

Continued Momentum for Year-end Giving

The success of GivingTuesday is a great indication of the philanthropic spirit in America right now. As the lines between traditional and virtual fundraising blur, nonprofits will have to continue to find new ways to connect and engage donors online.  This presents opportunities to explore new types of fundraising and tap into the giving power of social networks. This year-end giving season we anticipate more nonprofits will integrate social fundraising and virtual elements into their long-standing campaigns and events.

With so many worthy causes fighting for donor “share of wallet,” nonprofits will have to create digital experiences that bring their missions to life, deepen donor affinity, and inspire giving. Technology will pave the way, fostering seamless giving experiences to drive even more impact online.