Why Giving Tuesday is More Than a Kickstarter for Nonprofits

This post is part of a series in which Influencers and members share insights around Giving Tuesday. Read all the posts here and write your own; don’t forget to include the hashtag #GivingTuesday in the body of your post.

I'm in Sao Paulo, Brasil to speak at Telefonica's Conference on virtual volunteering that takes place on December 2nd (Giving Tuesday). I'll be talking about how individuals and NGOS can have a great impact by building relationships online and inspiring their networks to take action - whether volunteering, giving money,or educating others.

I've been a champion for GivingTuesday , a global day of giving to kick off the giving season, since the beginning because the idea of encouraging everyone give - either money or time and in small amounts can have a huge collective impact, has been something that I'm passionate about. Now in its 3rd year, more and more people and organizations are participating and as Tom Watson suggests in his post it could be a breakthrough year for Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday is more than just kickstarter for nonprofits to launch their annual appeals. The day has so much more potential, as Hildy Gottlieb points out to be a day when nonprofits give to each other and create abundance.

Given that I am in Brasil, I wanted to participate and experience local activities. No problem. Giving Tuesday is a global movement and this year they number of countries participating has increased to nine countries, including Brasil.

I reached out to my colleagues at Giving Tuesday and they were kind enough to introduce me to Joao Paulo Vergueiro who is organizing the #GivingTuesday efforts in Brasil. Joao works for a national association of fundraising professionals, ABCR, that is coordinating a coalition of nonprofits that want to use #GivingTuesday fundraising to encourage a culture of giving here. As Joao points out, "Unlike developed countries such as the United States and England, Brazilians do not give as a habit and the country figures in the 72nd place of giving amongst 135 countries in the latest World Giving Index. On the overall rating Brazil is actually the 90th most generous country of the world."

In Brasil, they call the movement #diadedoar and have over 400 partners and 120 champions from 24 of 27 states in Brasil. The Giving Tuesday Movement has helped mobilize many to participate both small and large. Organizations as Greenpeace, SOS Global Villages, Care, Rotary International, The Red Cross, The Avon Institute as well many other smaller, local nonprofits.

Amy Sample Ward from NTEN invited me to participate in an online webinar with other NTEN community champions to talk about Giving Tuesday efforts. So, of course, I've invited Joao to participate with me on an online webinar hosted by NTEN to celebrate #GivingTuesday at 11:00 am PST on Dec. 2nd.

Join us - we'll be discussing how nonprofits in the US, Brasil and the rest of the world are participating in Giving Tuesday.

I'm also attending local fundraiser for nonprofit Food Bank in Brasil. The nonprofit is partnering with a local restaurant who will be donating proceeds from the event to the nonprofit. I can't think of a better way to celebrate a day giving then chatting with nonprofit leaders about Giving Tuesday and going to a fundraiser.

So, join me for a nonprofit tech gathering to celebrate GivingTuesday hosted by NTEN on Dec. 2nd (Giving Tuesday) at 11:00 am PST.

What is your organization doing for GivingTuesday?