Un-Forgotten: How to Make Your GivingTuesday 2026 Gift Count
On GivingTuesday 2025, Americans gave $4.0 billion in a single day, and 38.1 million people took part by giving, volunteering, donating goods, or speaking up for a cause. GivingTuesday 2026 falls on Tuesday, December 1, 2026, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. If you want your GivingTuesday gift to count for more than a click, this guide is for you. You will learn how to choose where to give, how to stretch your gift with matches and monthly giving, and simple ways individuals, families, and companies can take part, even without giving money.
The short answer
To make your GivingTuesday 2026 gift count, choose one cause you care about, check that the charity is legitimate, and give on December 1 when many gifts are matched. Then multiply your impact: ask your employer to match it, share why you gave, consider a monthly gift, or volunteer your time. Families and companies can take part too, through shared giving decisions, employee matches, and team volunteering.
When is GivingTuesday 2026?
GivingTuesday 2026 is Tuesday, December 1, 2026, as listed on the GivingTuesday participation page. It always falls on the Tuesday after U.S. Thanksgiving, following Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
GivingTuesday began in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. It has grown into a global movement. In 2025, GivingTuesday reported that in the United States:
Total dollars given (GivingTuesday 2025: $4.0 billion; Change from 2024: Up 13%)
Total participants (GivingTuesday 2025: 38.1 million; Change from 2024: Up 6%)
People who gave money (GivingTuesday 2025: 19.1 million; Change from 2024: Up 3%)
People who volunteered (GivingTuesday 2025: 11.1 million; Change from 2024: Up 20%)
Source: GivingTuesday 2025 results.
Notice the volunteer number. Giving money is only one way to take part.
How to choose where to give on GivingTuesday
Your inbox will fill with appeals in late November. A plan helps you give with intention instead of reacting to whoever emails last.
Pick your cause first. Decide what you care about most this year: children, education, survivors of exploitation, your local community.
Choose one or two charities. A larger gift to one charity often does more than many tiny gifts scattered across ten.
Check that the charity is real. Look it up in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search and on independent sites like Candid and Charity Navigator.
Give through the charity's own website. Be cautious of unfamiliar links in texts or social media messages. Type the charity's web address yourself.
Ask what your gift will do. Good charities can tell you how they use donations and what results they track.
Five ways to make your gift go further
1. Look for a match
Many charities line up matching gifts for GivingTuesday, where a sponsor doubles donations up to a set amount. Your employer may also match your gift. Search your company's giving portal for the charity's name or EIN before you give.
2. Make it monthly
A monthly gift turns one day of generosity into a year of support. Charities can plan programs around steady monthly income in a way they cannot with one-time gifts. Even a small monthly amount adds up.
3. Give unrestricted
Unless you feel strongly about one program, consider letting the charity use your gift where it is needed most. Unrestricted gifts help charities respond to real needs as they come up.
4. Share why you gave
A personal post or text to friends about why you care is one of the most powerful things you can do. Your story reaches people the charity cannot. Keep it about the cause and your reasons, and never share private details about people a charity serves.
5. Give your time or skills
If money is tight, give time. Volunteer, offer professional skills, or host a small event. GivingTuesday counts all of it.
How can families take part in GivingTuesday?
GivingTuesday is a natural moment to teach children about generosity. Here are simple ideas:
Hold a family giving meeting. Let each person suggest a cause, talk about why it matters, and vote on where to give.
Set a family giving jar. Starting in November, everyone adds coins or a portion of allowance. Give the total on December 1.
Match your kids. Offer to match what your children give from their own money.
Learn together. Watch an age-appropriate video or read about the cause. For older teens, a conversation about online safety and healthy relationships can be part of the day.
Make it a tradition. Write down where you gave and why, and look back next year.
How can companies take part in GivingTuesday?
Businesses can multiply employee generosity and build team spirit at the same time.
Offer a GivingTuesday match. Match employee gifts, or double your regular match for the day.
Promote your matching program. Many employees do not know their company matches. A simple reminder email before December 1 can unlock gifts.
Volunteer as a team. Give employees paid time to volunteer, or host a service project.
Sponsor a nonprofit's campaign. Fund a match that inspires other donors.
Bring learning to your team. Host a free awareness training for employees as part of your giving day.
How is GivingTuesday different from year-end tax planning?
GivingTuesday is about joining a shared moment of generosity, mobilizing others, and building giving habits. Year-end tax planning is about the timing and method of your gifts before December 31.
The two can work together. If you want to know how new 2026 tax rules affect your gift, our year-end giving guide and other articles explain the details. For your own situation, check with a qualified tax advisor. On GivingTuesday itself, focus on choosing well and inviting others in.
A simple GivingTuesday plan
Use this checklist in the week before December 1:
Choose your cause and one or two charities.
Verify each charity in the IRS database and on Candid or Charity Navigator.
Check whether your employer will match your gift.
Decide on a one-time amount or a monthly gift.
Plan one post, text, or conversation about why you give.
Pick one non-money action: volunteer, share, or attend an event.
Save your receipt.
What you can do
This GivingTuesday, you can help prevent human trafficking and support survivors. Here is how people take part with Leaving The Jar:
Give or start a monthly gift. Your gift supports free trafficking-awareness training, students in Egypt, survivors launching businesses in Kenya and Zambia, and The Well of Hope, a planned trauma-informed safe home for adolescent survivors in the Washington, D.C. area.
Double it with your employer. Search for "Leaving The Jar" or EIN 37-1476325 in your company's giving portal.
Volunteer or partner. Join 35+ volunteers across the U.S., Egypt, and Dubai, or host an event through our volunteer and partner page.
Bring free training to your group. Schools, churches, and businesses can request a free awareness training.
Leaving The Jar is 100% volunteer-run, with no paid staff and $0 founder pay. In 2025, 87.2% of total expenditures went to program services, and we hold the Candid Platinum Transparency Seal for 2026. You can see our financials and transparency documents any time.
As one scholarship recipient in Egypt told us: "I was told education wasn't for girls like me. LTJ helped me prove that was wrong."
FAQ
What date is GivingTuesday 2026?
GivingTuesday 2026 is Tuesday, December 1, 2026. It always falls on the Tuesday after U.S. Thanksgiving, following Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Many charities run matching campaigns that day, so it is a good time to give, volunteer, or share a cause you care about.
How much was given on GivingTuesday 2025?
GivingTuesday reported that Americans gave $4.0 billion on GivingTuesday 2025, up 13% from 2024. About 38.1 million people took part, including 19.1 million who gave money and 11.1 million who volunteered. Participants could be counted in more than one way.
How can I participate in GivingTuesday without money?
You can volunteer, donate goods, offer professional skills, or speak up for a cause by sharing why it matters to you. GivingTuesday counts all of these. You can also invite friends to give, host a small event, or attend a free training to learn more about an issue.
How do I know a GivingTuesday charity is legitimate?
Look up the charity in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search and on Candid and Charity Navigator. Give through the charity's own website rather than links in unexpected messages. A trustworthy charity will gladly explain how it uses donations and what results it measures.
How can my company get involved in GivingTuesday?
Companies can match employee gifts, remind employees about existing matching programs, give paid time to volunteer, sponsor a nonprofit's matching campaign, or host a learning event. Even a simple email before December 1 reminding employees about matching can multiply giving across your team.
Join us on December 1
This GivingTuesday, help prevent trafficking and restore survivors by making your gift to Leaving The Jar.
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