Giving Tuesday is 4 days away

Read time: 3 min

👋🏾 Hey! I’m Sid and this is The Philanthropy Futurist, a weekly advice column preparing you for the future of the nonprofit sector. Each Friday, I tackle reader questions about measuring impact, driving growth, and managing your nonprofit.

This Week’s Newsletter at a glance:

• Giving Tuesday is 4 days away

• Philanthropy News From This Week

• Sid’s Book Recommendation

Giving Tuesday is 4 days away

So, Giving Tuesday is in 4 days and that means we have just a few days until millions of donors across the globe flood the internet with generosity.

But here’s my question… will they remember you once the day is over?

Giving Tuesday was born in 2012 as a counter to consumerism… placed intentionally after Black Friday and Cyber Monday to remind us that giving matters too.

Since then, it’s grown into the biggest philanthropic moment on the annual calendar.

Billions of dollars have been raised, and thousands of causes lifted. It’s a global celebration of doing absolute good.

That said… the truth is Giving Tuesday has also become crowded, loud, a little bit of a “donor inbox flooder” lol. A day when everyone is asking for support… it naturally becomes harder to stand out.

This year, your strategy needs to evolve.

Do not just ask for money… invite people into a story.

Do not focus only on the dollars… highlight the change those dollars will create.

The Nonprofits that win Giving Tuesday (and beyond) are the ones who:

• Show donors their impact not just talk about it

• Create meaningful community instead of campaigns

• And those who… center the people they serve, not the urgency of the fundraising goal

Because the future of philanthropy is not transactional by far… instead it’s relational.

Donors are not ATMs… they’re partners and we are to treat them as such.

Over the next few days, your job isn’t to compete with the noise. Your job is to rise above it by being different:

Tell a story that sticks… make them feel something… give them a reason to come back on Wednesday, and the Wednesday after that.

Giving Tuesday may be 24 hours— but the relationships you build can last a lifetime (aka forever).

Until next week y’all! Enjoy your weekend! ✌🏾

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Philanthropy News From This Week

• Beast Philanthropy and Rockefeller Foundation Launch Strategic Partnership

• Poetry Foundation boosts annual giving to more than $3 million

• Gates Foundation backs Hyperfine AI-powered portable MRI technology

• In Uncertain Times, Annuities Can Hook Donors: Here’s How They Work

Sid’s Book Recommendation

Each week, I recommend a book or film that has impacted my life in a positive way. My recommendation this week is:

The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp

This book presents a practical philosophy that creativity is not a mysterious gift but a trainable habit built through routine, discipline, and deliberate exercises. The author argues that anyone can become more creative by designing daily routines that remove friction from starting work and by treating creativity like a muscle that strengthens with use. Learn more.

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