Just 5 weeks remain until one of the biggest fundraising days of the year: Giving Tuesday 2018.  Often stylized as #GivingTuesday on social media, the day encourages people to take a break from holiday shopping and set aside the Tuesday after Thanksgiving to support favorite causes instead.

We recently discussed the importance of year-end giving. A major part of many nonprofits' year-end giving campaigns: #GivingTuesday. According to the official site, Giving Tuesday is "a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration." It takes place the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (U.S.) and shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, kicking off the year-end charitable season. 

Doesn't it feel like this year just began? Yet Halloween, the end of Daylight Savings and even Thanksgiving are right around the corner. With nearly one third of all nonprofit donations occurring in December alone, it's important to execute a strategic year-end giving campaign that maximizes your impact over the next two months.

Have you noticed an increase in online donations lately? As our lives become more and more intertwined with technology (employee microchipping, anyone?), the way we support charity is no exception.

Can you believe there's just one week until Thanksgiving? With over half of nonprofits receiving the majority of their contributions between October and December, it's no wonder development departments across North America are turning their focus to year-end giving campaigns. The first milestone is Giving Tuesday, a global celebration of philanthropy on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This year it will take place on November 29, 2016.

Giving Tuesday—the latest iteration of post-Thanksgiving spending days (think Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday)—is a global online movement dedicated to giving back. The occasion puts the spotlight on generosity, inspiring people around the world to invest in causes they believe in. Since its inception in 2012, more than $55 million has been raised to support over 10,000 participating organizations. On November 29th, 2016, your nonprofit will get the unique chance to engage a wide range of supporters with a Giving Tuesday campaign, setting the bar for the holiday giving season to come. There's only 41 days (6 weeks) left until the big day! Is your organization ready? Check out today's infographic to see the huge impact Giving Tuesday has on global philanthropy, then get 4 quick strategies for nonprofits of any size to tap into its momentum.

December can be one of the most important and productive months for your fundraising efforts. One way to increase your bottom line during the these winter months is by focusing donor development efforts on your legion of 'social fundraisers'. Also known as your 'evangelists', these are individuals who not only believe in your cause but also become a nexus of social activity, both online and offline, to promote your organization and its fundraising activities. In addition to utilizing social fundraisers, it is important to have a strategic fundraising plan for the month of December to ensure that your outreach calls-to-action are targeting the right individuals with the right messages.  30% of all online gifts are given in December, and 10% of all donations come in the last three days of the calendar year, so it is critical that your fund development strategy positions your organization to maximize the fundraising potential from your donor audience. Click here to view the full sized infographic.