History of GivingTuesday in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: December 4, 2024

GivingTuesday, observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving in the U.S., is a global movement promoting generosity and community transformation. The accompanying non-profit organization, also named GivingTuesday, supports this initiative worldwide. The movement leverages hashtag activism on social media platforms, encouraging individuals and groups to contribute to their communities and global causes.

2011: Cyber Giving Monday proposed

In 2011, Carlo Lorenzo Garcia suggested "Cyber Giving Monday" to encourage charitable donations after Cyber Monday shopping.

October 2012: GivingTuesday Announced

GivingTuesday was announced in October 2012 by Mashable, along with partners like Skype and Cisco.

November 27, 2012: First GivingTuesday

The first GivingTuesday took place on November 27, 2012.

2012: GivingTuesday Baseline

GivingTuesday 2012 marks the baseline for the calculated 317% growth in the movement's presence.

2012: GivingTuesday 2012 Donation Baseline

GivingTuesday 2012 set the baseline for donations for future years.

2012: Timothy Ogden expresses skepticism about GivingTuesday

In 2012, Timothy Ogden, managing director of the Financial Access Initiative at NYU and board member at GiveWell, published an article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review expressing skepticism towards GivingTuesday.

2013: GivingTuesday 2013 sees doubled donations

GivingTuesday 2013 saw a significant increase in donations compared to 2012, with over 7,000 nonprofits participating.

2013: GivingTuesday 2013 and Google+ Partnership

In 2013, GivingTuesday partnered with Google+ for a "hangout-athon", receiving extensive coverage from Mashable and The Huffington Post.

2013: Ogden reiterates concerns about GivingTuesday's effectiveness

In 2013, Timothy Ogden, managing director of the Financial Access Initiative at NYU and board member at GiveWell, published another article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review reiterating his skepticism regarding the efficacy of GivingTuesday.

2014: GivingTuesday Raises $45.7 Million

In 2014, GivingTuesday raised an estimated $45.7 million and expanded to 68 countries.

2014: #GivingTower Launched

The #GivingTower, a virtual representation of donations, was launched in 2014.

January 2015: Nonprofit Quarterly analyzes GivingTuesday's federated model

In January 2015, Nonprofit Quarterly published an article discussing GivingTuesday's federated model, comparing its multi-platform approach with Minnesota's Give to the Max Day, which uses a single donation processor.

2015: GivingTuesday 2015 Donation Baseline

GivingTuesday 2015 served as the baseline for comparison for the record-breaking 2016 donations.

2015: GivingTuesday Growth and Recognition

In 2015, despite low familiarity among the public, GivingTuesday organizers remained optimistic about growth, and Blackbaud provided a real-time data dashboard.

2015: Zuckerberg-Chan Announcement

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan announced their philanthropic intentions on GivingTuesday 2015.

2016: Record-breaking donations

GivingTuesday 2016 broke donation records, with estimates ranging from $168 million to $177 million.

2017: Facebook and Gates Foundation Matching

In 2017, Facebook and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation offered $2 million in matching donations, and Facebook waived fees for US nonprofits.

2018: Facebook and PayPal Matching

Facebook and PayPal matched $7 million in donations in 2018, a sum reached within seconds of the match offer. $125 million was raised via Facebook, the highest single-day total at the time.

2018: Facebook Matching and GivingTuesday 2018 Results

Facebook matched $7 million in donations for GivingTuesday 2018, with a total of $120 million raised through the platform on the day.

June 2019: GivingTuesday becomes independent

In June 2019, GivingTuesday transitioned into an independent organization, with Asha Curran as CEO.

July 2019: GivingTuesday becomes independent non-profit

GivingTuesday officially became a separate nonprofit organization in July 2019.

December 3, 2019: GivingTuesday 2019 and Data Collaborative

GivingTuesday 2019 saw an estimated $1.97 billion raised, including both online and offline donations, marking the first such combined estimate by the GivingTuesday Data Collaborative.

2019: GivingTuesday 2019 sets baseline for substantial growth

In 2019, GivingTuesday served as a benchmark for later growth, with 27 million participants and $1.97 billion raised in the US, forming a basis for comparison with the significant increases seen in 2020.

May 5, 2020: GivingTuesday Now

GivingTuesday Now, an additional GivingTuesday event, was held on May 5, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, raising $503 million in online donations in the US.

December 1, 2020: GivingTuesday 2020 sees significant increase in participation and donations

On December 1, 2020, GivingTuesday saw a 29% increase in participation, reaching 34.8 million people. Total giving in the United States alone rose by 25% to $2.47 billion, compared to $1.97 billion in 2019. This follows the #GivingTuesdayNow initiative on May 5, 2020.

2020: GivingTuesday expands globally with 12 new countries

In 2020, GivingTuesday expanded its global reach with twelve countries officially joining the movement: Chile, Ghana, Guam, Ireland, Lebanon, Nigeria, Paraguay, Philippines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Korea, and Turkey.