Welcome to Giving Tuesday 2025

Giving Tuesday is an international movement which began in 2012 in a New York community centre with a simple idea: to encourage local people to show up, do something good, and say thank you. It has since grown into a global movement in more than 60 countries, with over £20 million raised in the UK last year. It's a great way for charities to increase income and mobilise their supporter bases.

This year arrives during a period of economic strain for many households and donors on the mailing list of charities. Yet in this time of significant pressure we can be reassured that one thing always persists: human generosity. People are resilient beings and it is good to see that they show up and find new ways to reach those who need it most. Any kind of contribution, an hour of time, or a message of thanks can be powerful, especially for the charities that rarely receive national attention. It is the season for communities to traditionally look out for each other.

Small charities, heritage groups and volunteer-led services continue to hold communities together despite limited resources and rising demand. For many charities they will use today as a way to launch appeals but for many they will be using the occasion as a way to acknowledge all forms of support and simply just say "Thank You".

I've spoken to a number of small charities recently and encouraged them to think about what this day might look like and I've been surprised how digitally unprepared they are. It's important to think about a having an established rolling regular donation process in place and appropriate platform and, most importantly it's about the digital footprint of social media. Today is not the day to be planning last minute, it is to be mindful of the work involved in scaling campaigns for next year and having a long term plan about how you engage in this to increase income for much needed programmes and campaigns.

Ultimately it takes nothing to say thank you. Charities are judged by followers and consumers on their ability to demonstrate community and impact - today is the day. It's great to see charities taking a fun approach to this. It's such an important brand visibility day for them and I'll be sharing my favourites on our instagram account over the next few days.

As movements like Giving Tuesday grow, so does the need for clarity and trust. With a concerning rise in misanthropy and misinformation in social media fuelled campaigns, it is vital that people donating give to registered charities, exempt charities, or organisations signed up to the Fundraising Regulator. Responsible giving protects both donors and the organisations striving to deliver social good. There's a reason why these organisations exists with the governance in place. Be assured of the community credentials of the charity that keeps popping up in your feeds.

But today is a reminder that the power of good is not defined by scale but by intent. Even in challenging times, thoughtful generosity strengthens the parts of civil society that are too often overlooked. It's an opportunity for those who can afford to be philanthropic to think about doing more and it's an opportunity for civic minded organisations and companies to be mobilised to respond to the gaps.

The quest of course to create more social good continues and Giving Tuesday teaches us to think about the challenges ahead and how we can all make a difference to the causes and organisations we are passionate about.

A very happy Tuesday to you.

James