GivingTuesday: The History and Power of a Global Day of Generosity

Generosity, often viewed through the lens of monetary donations or volunteerism, is much broader and more profound than we commonly recognize. It’s about the connections we make, the support we give and receive, and the trust we build within communities. This year, GivingTuesday falls on December 3rd, and in honor of this global day of giving, we want to highlight the origins of this movement and explore how it has shaped philanthropy, while reclaiming the true spirit of giving during the holiday season.

The History of GivingTuesday

GivingTuesday is a global movement that started with a simple idea: to create a day dedicated to giving. The movement was born from the realization that while we have days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday dedicated to consumption and materialism, there was no such moment dedicated to giving and community building. GivingTuesday was launched in 2012, initially created by 92nd Street Y Executive Director and former Stanford PACS fellow Henry Timms, with the support of Asha Curran, CEO of GivingTuesday and former PACS fellow. The goal was to encourage people to focus on generosity–not just in terms of financial contributions, but acts of kindness, time, and resources. Stanford PACS Faculty Co-Director Rob Reich’s involvement in the early days helped provide the ethical framework that shaped GivingTuesday’s approach to fostering a culture of giving that transcends traditional charity models. Nonprofits use the hashtag #GivingTuesday to build their own narrative about what the day means for them and their mission. Today, GivingTuesday has become a global movement, with millions of people participating in hundreds of countries around the world. A movement now so widely embraced, it has been endorsed by the White House, Bill Gates, and Selena Gomez. 

How Is GivingTuesday Celebrated Globally?

GivingTuesday has no rules, just a common purpose and a common campaign. In a past conversation between Asha Curran and Sabrina Hersi Issa, CEO of Be Bold Media and former PACS fellow (2021-22), Asha reflects on stories of kindness and the nature of generosity and community building around the world.

In times of crises, generosity has shown its power in bringing communities together. In Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, local leaders insisted on holding GivingTuesday despite the devastation, recognizing the importance of community support in difficult times. Similarly, in Venezuela, GivingTuesday became a platform for offline community action like free medical exams, food delivery, and neighborhood restoration. 

The movement has sparked local initiatives that reflect civic pride and community solidarity. These efforts are not always centered around money, but around collective action for the common good. This has created a culture of civic involvement and volunteerism that continues to grow. Local leaders have adapted the concept to fit their own cultural, social, and economic contexts. In Wisconsin, one leader turned Little Free Libraries into Little Free Pantries during the pandemic, demonstrating a creative form of community giving that went beyond traditional philanthropy.

Organizations can use the power of storytelling to highlight experiences of generosity, inspiring others to share their own stories. Through storytelling, people can feel more connected and less isolated, fostering a deeper sense of community and mutual support. While generosity can have a wide-reaching impact on the community, it can also be focused on individuals–such as through mentorship–offering emotional support, trust, and meaningful connections.

By giving beyond monetary donations–whether through acts of kindness, volunteerism, or mentorship– this creates a “leveled” playing field, allowing individuals, regardless of their resources, to feel empowered to give. In Brazil, children from an impoverished neighborhood who had received volunteer help to revitalize their schools chose to give back to their community by reading poetry to seniors. This mutual exchange of giving and receiving demonstrates how generosity fosters empowerment, allowing the children to feel like agents of change rather than passive recipients of charity.

Now It’s Your Turn

We hope these stories of GivingTuesday inspire you to spread generosity in all its forms. Through initiatives like GivingTuesday and the acts of kindness people engage in every day, generosity can be a powerful tool for building solidarity and breaking down barriers. Whether through mutual aid, mentorship, or simply showing up for one another, generosity has the potential to change the world. 

Thank you to the founding partners for their invaluable contributions to the GivingTuesday movement!

GivingTuesday Founding Partners

• UN Foundation 
• DonorsChoose
• Mashable
• 92nd Street Y
• BlackBaud
• Groupon
• Charity:Water
• GlobalGiving
• Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)
• Skype
• Financial Times
• Kiva
• (Red)
• Causes
• American Red Cross
• Darden Restaurant Group
• Pencils of Promise

Learn more about GivingTuesday

• Radical Generosity interview; Sabrina Hersi Issa and Asha Curran
• SSIR article: Giving That Gets Engagement by Susan Wolf Ditkoff & Henry Timms