12 GivingTuesday Statistics for 2024 Every Fundraiser Should Know

There’s no denying it—statistics prove that GivingTuesday has become a worldwide phenomenon. What started as a grassroots movement meant to balance out holiday season spending is now a generosity-driving powerhouse.

Check out these GivingTuesday statistics, sourced from GivingTuesday and Neon One’s own research, to learn more about the influence GivingTuesday has on the philanthropic sector.

1. GivingTuesday Revenue in the U.S. Plateaued in 2023

After 10 years of steady growth—with every GivingTuesday seeing a big increase in dollars raised over the last, GivingTuesday 2023 saw revenue plateau. Donors in the United States gave $3.1 billion last year, which represented only a .06% increase over 2022. 

That plateauing tracks with broader trends being felt across the nonprofit sector. According to the 2023 Giving USA Report, charitable giving actually declined in 2023 when factoring in inflation.

But here’s one important thing to remember: financial contributions aren’t the only way people get involved on GivingTuesday! Participants worldwide also volunteered, performed countless acts of kindness, and gave their voices, time, and goods.

Takeaway: As donor habits and expectations shift, the giving strategies that worked five years ago probably aren’t going to cut it today. So don’t be afraid to experiment or try something new—and don’t be afraid to look for other ways your supporters can give beyond their dollars.

2. GivingTuesday Has Grown Into a Worldwide Movement

GivingTuesday may have its roots in America, but it’s a global phenomenon. Ninety countries now have their own GivingTuesday chapters, and 2023 saw over 300 individual communities hold national GivingTuesday movements. 

That means that thousands of organizations all over the world are inspiring generosity in their communities on GivingTuesday.

Takeaway: GivingTuesday has an overwhelming global impact, inspiring generosity all around Earth. That’s great news if you’re looking for inspiration! Check out how other nonprofits are inspiring generosity in their own communities. Whether you look at GivingTuesday campaigns from organizations in your hometown or charities on the other side of the world, there’s no shortage of nonprofits doing amazing things.

3. Fewer People in the U.S. Participated in 2023

34 million adults in the United States supported their favorite causes on GivingTuesday last year. That’s a lot of people! Nonetheless, that 34 million represents a 10% decline in participants from 2022. 

This was another data point that tracked with broader trends in philanthropy—a decline in donors (or at least certain types of donors) that some people call a “generosity crisis.” 

Still, 34 million participants nationwide is nothing to sniff at, either! If your nonprofit plans on running a GivingTuesday campaign in 2024, there are plenty of reasons to hope for success, just as there are several reasons to preach caution.

Takeaway: If you haven’t participated in a GivingTuesday campaign yet, give it a try in 2024! Americans who donate on GivingTuesday are slightly more common than Americans with green eyes, and that means there are millions of opportunities to reach new and existing supporters.

4. Recurring Gifts on GivingTuesday Are Increasing

Earlier this year, we published The Recurring Giving Report: Data-Backed Insights for Sustainable Generosity, drawing on data from over 2,100 Neon CRM clients over a five-year period. If you want an in-depth look at the growing importance of recurring donors, you should download it!

As a preview of the upcoming addendum we’re releasing to the report focusing on GivingTuesday and Year-End Giving, we can share this exclusive tidbit: Among Neon CRM clients, 2023 saw a 34.23% increase in recurring gifts made on GivingTuesday.

Takeaway: Your GivingTuesday campaign doesn’t have to be solely focused on new donor acquisition. For existing supporters, put together an appeal that encourages them to set up a recurring donation. You can even create a special donation page for this appeal that heavily emphasizes recurring gifts. 

5. Recurring GivingTuesday Donors Give Again By Year’s End

Here’s another cool piece of data we uncovered while looking into recurring donations on GivingTuesday: A whopping 80.33% of donors who made a recurring donation on GivingTuesday made a second one-off gift before the year was out.

If you’d like to learn more, sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll let you know when our full GivingTuesday and year-end giving addendum is published!

Takeaway: Just because someone sets up a regular gift on GivingTuesday, doesn’t mean they should be excluded from your year-end campaign. Recurring donors are one of your most dedicated groups of supporters, after all, so include them in your year-end appeal—but make sure you create a special segment for them with messaging that references their ongoing support.

6. Plenty of People Participate in GivingTuesday Without Donating Money

Donors don’t just give money on GivingTuesday. They also donate time, talents, in-kind donations, and access to their social and professional networks. In 2022, GivingTuesday saw 11 million people donate goods and 10 million volunteer in the U.S. alone. 

GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement, and this is a great reminder that generosity comes in tons of different forms. 

Takeaway: If you’re looking for ways to boost your GivingTuesday campaign, give your supporters multiple ways they can get involved. Get your donors excited about GivingTuesday by organizing volunteer events, asking for in-kind donations, or inviting supporters to share your appeals with their personal networks.

7. GivingTuesday Participants Want to Be Part of a Huge Group of People Doing Good

The success of GivingTuesday as a movement has a lot to do with its success at community building. People all over the world can do something together on this day to make the world a better place. That’s pretty inspiring.

Takeaway: Consider weaving the theme of togetherness and community into your GivingTuesday appeal. People are drawn to the idea of the collective impact they can make together.

7. GivingTuesday Is the Time for Experimentation

If you’ve been looking for the opportunity to try something new, GivingTuesday is the perfect time to get creative. 

A vast majority of nonprofits report experimenting with new techniques for their GivingTuesday campaign, which could be anything from new tech tools to a novel strategy for reaching new supporters. 

The possibilities are endless!

Takeaway: Try something new! GivingTuesday is a one-day event where donors actively seek ways to support the organizations and causes they love, which makes it the perfect time to experiment with new tools or tactics. If you don’t see the results you want, you can try something new next year. And, if your new strategy is a success, you’re perfectly positioned to apply it to your year-end fundraising campaign.

9. GivingTuesday Inspires People to Be More Giving

GivingTuesday is fulfilling its stated purpose: To get people around the world more involved in philanthropy. 

A large majority of people who give on GivingTuesday say that the movement inspired them to be more generous overall. That should be encouraging to any nonprofit looking to build a more engaged base of supporters.

Takeaway: Brand awareness of GivingTuesday is growing. Since donors report being motivated to give more, the number of people being inspired to be more generous grows every year. Capitalize on those feelings of goodwill by making sure you have a donor retention plan for GivingTuesday donors. A good retention strategy can keep those generous donors engaged with your organization year-round.

10. GivingTuesday Gets Social Media Attention

Since its inception in 2012, GivingTuesday has relied on digital channels to build a global community. Join the conversation! 

Using #GivingTuesday on social media is one of the best opportunities available to raise awareness about your work, grow your supporter base, and mobilize existing supporters to help your cause.

Takeaway: People are talking about GivingTuesday online. Use your social media channels to connect with donors who are actively engaged in supporting nonprofits that day. Add the #GivingTuesday hashtag to your posts, appeals, and updates to boost your visibility and gain some exposure on social media.

11. Those Who Know About GivingTuesday Participate

Not only does GivingTuesday have great name recognition, but it also has a great participation rate! A majority of young donors who are aware of GivingTuesday choose to support their favorite nonprofits that day. 

For nonprofits looking for ways to engage younger donors, running a GivingTuesday campaign can be an effective way to bring them into your base of supporters.

Takeaway: Create your appeals, social posts, and GivingTuesday donation form with younger audiences in mind. Try offering a range of suggested giving amounts, stay active on social channels, and encourage your younger donors to share your campaign with their friends and colleagues.

12. Online Giving Is Growing

IIn 2022, online GivingTuesday donations in the U.S. crossed the $1 billion mark for the first time ever!

As a global day of generosity with groups and organizations all over the world linked together by digital tools, online donation options are going to be the preferred giving method for lots of GivingTuesday supporters–especially younger ones. 

Takeaway: Remember, you don’t use GivingTuesday-provided platforms to solicit donations. You use your own tools and systems. And while it’s always good to have offline donation options for your supporters, creating a streamlined, easy-to-use donation form that’s branded specifically for your GivingTuesday donations is a must!

Download Our GivingTuesday Toolkit

Do you find these GivingTuesday statistics to be insightful? If you’re looking for more resources to get your GivingTuesday planning going, download our GivingTuesday toolkit below.