At the risk of sounding like a Grinch, I’m just not that into Giving Tuesday.
Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against giving. In fact, I’m all for it, all the time. But the concept of giving, in reaction to holiday spending, rubs me the wrong way because it positions them together as cause and effect, which I don’t entirely buy.
I’m good with the need to save on holiday spending and make limited budgets go that much further, especially in challenging economic times. Simultaneously, I see giving of oneself as an ongoing project that takes place throughout the year. Sometimes that’s harder than others. But it’s one we should all be invested in.
In case you’re nose-down in the swamp of pre-holiday work, frenzied to plan your holiday campaign, or reading this while lining up at Best Buy (again, not judging!) and don’t know what Giving Tuesday is, it’s a North American-recognized day for giving back that encourages people to unleash acts of goodness. Since its launch in 2012, it’s been a significant driver for holiday giving. Last year alone, Canadians donated $16.2M for a day inspiring hundreds of millions to unleash the power of “radical generosity” in which every act of random kindness counts. Whether making someone smile, helping a neighbour out, or giving to an important cause.
While a day that encourages people to give is great, here’s the rub. Giving Tuesday is the first Tuesday after Black Friday (just before Small Business Saturday, and immediately following Cyber Monday). And it encourages participants to take #UnSelfies to capture these moments of care, love and understanding.
At the risk of being targeted by slings and arrows or invoking a triad of ghosts to redeem my cynical heart, allow me to make the case that opening one’s heart with empathy and kindness towards others is good way to try to live every single day. If documenting those moments on your phone is an incentive to showing up, awesome.
But smiling back at someone on the subway isn’t the same as regularly volunteering your time and energy to an important cause. Nor is it as impactful as donating to organizations with proven efficacy in supporting the most urgent needs of our communities. And while more good vibes make our world nicer, it’s a deeper action actually changes it.
here are over 85,000 nonprofit and charitable organizations across Canada, providing direct services like healthcare and education, and ensuring social welfare by fighting existential issues like food insecurity, poverty and homelessness (just to name a few). Volunteering and charitable giving play a critical role in supporting these initiatives, especially as the sector has been wracked by inflation and labour shortages. In fact, Canada Helps reports that a whopping 1 in 4 Canadians rely on charities for basic needs. At the same time, only about the same number of Canadian donate. And when are they incentivized to do it? Around the holidays, starting with GivingTuesday. Why? Because the number one reason people give is because they’re asked.
There are lots of other reasons that the giving season starts now. Whether you call it the warmth of the holiday spirit, fear of being visited by one, or trying to ghost the taxman, the end result is still the same. Canadian charities depend on the year-end giving surge to fund their essential work, yet most of them wait until after American Thanksgiving to realize the majority of their revenue. Roughly 40% of revenue comes in during last six weeks of the year, with many orgs seeing as much as 50% of their fundraising target at that time.
Giving during the holidays feels good because it’s backed by all kinds of seasonal psychological drivers that pack an emotional wallop (cue the denouement …yes, that turkey’s still in the window!). It offers tax deductions for sound financial planning (last chance for a receipt). And it offsets the guilt that overspending on the holidays often triggers. But it’s no spoiler alert that supporting important causes feels just as good at other times of the year, too. And it often does more good.
While most orgs have an immediate goal of raising money before the calendar flips, the long game for nonprofits is building ongoing community support to advance the cause. Despite the fact that research shows a long-term drop off in charitable giving, monthly giving donors give 42% more than one-time donors!
However small monthly donations may be compared to one-time gifts, they have a great sticky factor. A recent user-based research study showed that 97% of donors who convert to monthly giving ultimately surpass the original single gift amount. There are plenty of reasons to consider focusing on recurring gifts over a one-shot deal:
- Greater budgetary stability
- Predictable income with an outcome of better planning
- Organizations can spend according to data that predicts spikes in service need
- Creates savings in purchasing cycles
- Reduces administrative costs and processing fees
- Gives charities the ability to plan with the community and respond, not react in urgency
As on the ground needs for community-based charities continue to rise, the effects of US tariffs and speculation about a possible recession could hinder one-time holiday donations, over those based on longstanding support for a cause built over time by a relationship that’s mission focused.
Regardless of what Canadians may be expected to give this season, or even this year, I’m not sold on the causal effect of three exhausting days of bargain shopping expected to top out at $9.3 billion compared to the $12.8 billion we spent on charitable causes last year.
Which brings me back to Giving Tuesday as the herald of the giving season. For charities locked in on marketing the value of one-time donations, perhaps it’s time to think about a more evergreen approach. Consider reaching out to would-be or one-time donors with the message that a charitable gift in someone’s honour makes a great gift for people on your holiday list (especially hosts who, let’s be honest, appreciate the generous gesture over flowers which require stopping the fun to find a vase). This way your ask has a quantified multiplier by the number on your donor’s gift list, not just your donor list. Moreover, you get the data to convert the recipient to become your direct donor too.
Besides, why save asking for the holidays when giving can be enjoyed all year long? To start building a more sustainable giving program, consider the range of benefits that come from converting existing donors to monthly supporters:
- Monthly donations bolster charities with stable revenue to tackle their mission.
- They become more engaged by organizations they support, especially if a quarterly newsletter keeps them up to date about impact over need.
- Monthly donors ensure more money goes toward the cause with lower admin costs on gift processing and the donation comes with the same tax benefits at year-end.
- As a bonus, monthly donors are more likely to become volunteers, they make a terrific farm team for lay leadership and consider causes they regularly support as beneficiaries in their will.
Firmly committing to a cycle of giving that waits until the last six weeks of the year to nail-bite as to whether 40% of revenue can be actualized, seems way more like a nightmare before Christmas and doesn’t necessarily result in more revenue. In fact, Statistics Canada research reveals that while over the past five years the number of donors has decreased since 2018, the total value of donations made to charities has remained roughly unchanged.
Of course, if the rollout of the Festive Special is what boosts donations in your community, then lean into local. But think about diversifying your ask to one that’s more evergreen. Encourage existing supporters to make donations in honour of their friends as a great way to foster passive lead generation via active giving and certainly consider making the case for the benefits of all-season support giving as part of your holiday advancement.
As for smiling on the subway, sure. Helping your neighbour? Absolutely! Personally, I’d rather not wait for a special day, until I’m shopped out, maxed out, guilt ridden or seeing ghosts. Being nice every day is in all our best interests.
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Corrine Rusch-Drutz joined Global as Senior Consultant in 2025 and lives in Toronto, Ontario. A ‘lifer’ in not-for-profit, working across healthcare, social services, arts & culture and supporting faith-based institutions, Corinne helps organizations to develop strategies that create access by increasing awareness and revenue, expanding services and supports, and engaging community. Most recently, she was CEO of the Kensington Health Foundation, completing a capital campaign for hospice care at the height of the pandemic. In addition to her role as Chief Marketing/Development Officer at the Art Gallery of Ontario, she has worked at Baycrest, YWCA Canada and supported many non-profits of every size across the country by building strategies that galvanizing around their purpose to create breakthroughs, spike awareness and generate revenue.
Corinne offers complimentary 30-minute consultations in person or virtually. Click here to reserve now!
