GivingTuesday, the groundbreaking global generosity movement, announced #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of giving and unity, set to take place on May 5, 2020, as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. The day is designed to drive an influx of generosity, citizen engagement, business and philanthropy activation, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world. #GivingTuesdayNow Leadership Supporters, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and PayPal are already actively responding to COVID-19.
#GivingTuesdayNow will mobilize GivingTuesday’s global network of leaders, partners, communities and generous individuals. GivingTuesday is also committing $200,000 to launch The Starling Fund, designed to support its existing network of official community and country leaders. Priority will go to leaders in the regions of greatest crisis or lowest resource in order to strengthen their #GivingTuesdayNow initiatives.
The global day of action will rally people around the world to tap into the power of human connection and strengthen communities at the grassroots level. Communities are encouraged to take action on behalf of first responders, as well as the world’s other—often forgotten—frontline workers: the nonprofits and community organizations that feed, house, educate, and nurture neighbors impacted by the global pandemic. The social sector is in crisis at the very moment the world needs it most, and GivingTuesday stands ready to rally the world at this critical time.
On the last GivingTuesday, December 3, 2019, the global giving day generated $2 billion in giving, just in the United States, and inspired millions of people worldwide to volunteer, perform countless acts of kindness, and donate their voices, time, money, and goods. The additional giving day planned for May 5, 2020, is being deployed in response to needs expressed by communities and leaders around the world.
“For eight years, GivingTuesday has celebrated grassroots generosity, and has built a movement that empowers millions of people to give, engage their communities, and find common ground,” said Rob Reich, Faculty Co-Director, Stanford University Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society and chairman of the board for GivingTuesday. “We are all confronting the same challenge right now. We need the giving spirit more than ever.”
People can show their generosity in a variety of ways during #GivingTuesdayNow—whether it’s helping a neighbor, advocating for an issue, sharing a skill, or giving to causes, every act of generosity counts. The giving day will emphasize opportunities to give back to communities and causes in ways that comply with public health guidelines.
#GivingTuesdayNow Planned Initiatives for May 5, 2020
Dozens of countries will mobilize national networks to activate locally and promote generosity in their country. Planned initiatives include:
◆ Hundreds of communities across the United States led by volunteer leaders and by organizations like community foundations, United Ways, and giving groups will both raise funds and provide safe opportunities for supporting neighbors in need with other forms of civic participation and generosity.
◆ Corporate and foundation partners from around the world will activate employees, and provide technical resources and matching funds in support of efforts on the ground around the world.
◆ Giving platform partners are delivering solutions in response to the crisis already, and will be coordinating those efforts for #GivingTuesdayNow; and, they have committed to sharing data and collaborating on research into giving patterns, interest, and impact.
◆ GivingTuesday Kids will offer opportunities for youth to organize internationally and give back while many young people are distanced from their schools and classmates.
◆ GivingTuesday Military will activate their network of military service members, families, and veterans around the world to engage with their communities to give back in a show of unity.
◆ The GivingTuesday Data Commons will continue to collaborate with online giving platforms around the world, and conduct primary research to provide in-depth analyses on giving trends and donor behavior in times of crisis, and offer recommendations in support of sector resilience and emerging best practices from this influx of generous behavior.
“As a global community, we can mourn this moment of extreme crisis while also finding the opportunity to support one another,” said Asha Curran, CEO of GivingTuesday. “We each have the power to make an impact with acts of generosity, no matter how small, and to ensure the sustainability of organizations and services that are crucial to the care and support of our communities.
“#GivingTuesdayNow is a chance for us to stand united and use grassroots generosity to show that we are all in this together, beginning to end,” continued Curran. “Even as many face financial uncertainty, generosity is not about size. Every act of kindness is not only a beacon of hope, it’s a critical act of civic and social solidarity.”
About GivingTuesday
Created in 2012 at New York’s 92nd Street Y and incubated in its Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact as a day to do good, GivingTuesday has grown into a year-round global generosity movement with leaders who have launched more than 200 community campaigns across the U.S. and national movements in more than 60 countries. At the grassroots level, people and organizations participate in GivingTuesday in every single country in the world.
To learn more and participate in #GivingTuesdayNow, visit the GivingTuesday website, Facebook page or follow @GivingTuesday and #GivingTuesday on Twitter. For youth interested in joining the movement, visit GivingTuesdayKids.org for inspiration and project ideas.
Nonprofits can sign up to learn more here.
For suggestions on how to help the horse industry for #GivingTuesdayNow, read “8 Ways to Help the Horse Industry for #GivingTuesdayNow.”
