#GivingTuesday could raise more than $600 million on Dec. 1, at least according to one prediction. Whole Whale, a New York-based digital B-corporation, predicts that #GivingTuesday will raise 18 percent more online this year, up from $511 million in 2018 to $605 million.
The ninth annual #GivingTuesday will be Dec. 1, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. The Giving Tuesday Data Collaborative reported $511 million raised online in the United States on #GivingTuesday 2019. That was up 28 percent from the $400 million raised in 2018, bringing to more than $1.5 billion the amount raised online since the inception of #GivingTuesday in 2012.
The 18-percent increase compared to 2019 is more conservative, based on past increases, such as 28 percent and 33 percent in 2019 and 2018, respectively. The 2020 analysis by Whole Whale incorporates an “adjusted linear regression, trends in Google Search terms around ‘Giving Tuesday,’ and national giving trends.
There are a number of factors that could play into a more unpredictable year. Election year giving traditionally doesn’t impact philanthropic giving but this is an unprecedented year and the unemployment rate is still 10 percent. Disaster giving for the West Coast fires and hurricanes in the Southeast also could impact donor fatigue by Dec. 1.
“Despite the numerous negative indicators this year, there seems to be an inevitable spirit of giving that continues to build behind #GivingTuesday,” George Weiner, chief whaler at Whole Whale.
August and September searches for “GivingTuesday” are up 80 percent year-over-year, partially due to #GivingTuesdayNow, an event in May to respond to the pandemic. The reduction of in-person events because of the pandemic might mean that nonprofits are ready to activate their audiences online, Weiner said.
This year is also the first year for #BitcoinTuesday on Dec. 1. If an organization can get its donation page set up to accept cryptocurrency, that would be a different audience to attract, Weiner said.
