Why Nonprofits in Australia and New Zealand Should Join the Giving Tuesday 2025 Movement
In 2024, donors in the U.S. gave $3.6 billion on Giving Tuesday — a 16% increase over 2023. That same year, 36.1 million people participated:
- 18.5 million gave money
- 12.9 million donated goods
- 9.2 million volunteered
In Australia, nonprofits raised approximately AUD $6.1 million in just one day.
🌍 Giving Tuesday has become the world’s largest generosity movement. For nonprofits in Australia and New Zealand, 2025 is your chance to connect with donors locally and globally, amplify your cause, and kick off your end-of-year fundraising with momentum.
We recently interviewed, Madelaine Hardy , Senior Manager, Global Communities & Business Development at GivingTuesday , to discuss why nonprofits should get involved.
What Is Giving Tuesday?
Launched in 2012, Giving Tuesday has grown into a global movement active in more than 100 countries. Each year it sparks billions in donations alongside countless acts of volunteering and community kindness.
But as Madelaine explains it, the day was never meant to replace existing appeals:
“Giving Tuesday is not here to replace any of your appeals. It’s here to amplify and energize them.”
Unlike other fundraising events, any nonprofit can take part. Whether large or small, grassroots or global, Giving Tuesday is a shared moment that you can make uniquely yours.
Why Giving Tuesday 2025 Is a Big Opportunity for ANZ Nonprofits
Awareness of Giving Tuesday is still growing in Australia and New Zealand, meaning nonprofits here have the chance to stand out as early adopters.
And the benefits are clear:
- 📈 More donors are acquired on Giving Tuesday than any other day of the year.
- 🤝 Those donors are “stickier” — more likely to keep giving long-term.
- ⚡ The global buzz creates urgency, visibility, and momentum that fuels end-of-year appeals.
Or as Madelaine put it: “Donors that first connect with nonprofits on Giving Tuesday are stickier than donors that meet you during the year. And that’s huge.”
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Inspiring Giving Tuesday Success Stories
Madelaine highlights how organizations worldwide are seeing results by keeping campaigns simple and intentional:
- 🌱 In Canada, an environmental nonprofit launched a peer-to-peer campaign with supporter toolkits. Instead of asking existing donors to give again, they empowered them to fundraise — bringing in hundreds of new donors in one day.
- ❤️ In Latin America, a health nonprofit ran a matched giving campaign with just one corporate partner. “Don’t aim for ten partners—one is enough and can be just as significant,” Madelaine noted. That urgency helped them raise more than their typical campaign.
- 🔁 Many nonprofits also use Giving Tuesday to launch or expand recurring giving programs, either re-engaging one-time donors or building sustainable monthly revenue streams.
Participation also goes beyond money. “It’s about engaging supporters in other ways too—fundraising, hosting an event, donating items, volunteering. They can participate beyond the financial gift,” Madelaine says.
How to Get Started for Giving Tuesday 2025
Madelaine’s advice is simple:
- Pick one strong idea and make it easy for your community to join.
- Set a clear goal — dollars raised, new donors, or volunteers.
- Tell your story in a way that feels urgent and inspiring.
- Plan your outreach across email, social, and community channels.
- Connect it to year-end. “Your Giving Tuesday campaign shouldn’t feel like extra work or something that came out of nowhere. Connect it to your end-of-year strategy.”
Maximising Your Impact Beyond December 2
The most successful campaigns don’t stop when the day does.
Follow up quickly with donors, share your results, and invite supporters to stay engaged — through holiday appeals, monthly giving, or volunteering.
“Giving Tuesday is the start of a generosity journey, not the finish line,” Madelaine reminds us.
Your Next Steps for Giving Tuesday 2025
- Explore resources at https://www.givingtuesday.org/
- Access Raisely’s Giving Tuesday Course and free Giving Tuesday Campaign Template.
- Watch the full interview with Madelaine Hardy.
✨ This Giving Tuesday, join a global generosity movement — and start your next chapter of impact.