Economy | Guide to Giving

After Black Friday and Cyber Monday holiday buying sprees, along comes #GivingTuesday – a day of generosity promoted around the world. But is a single day dedicated to giving enough?  

The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., used Giving Tuesday to announce an initiative for philanthropy and plans to set up an exhibit exploring the thread of giving throughout American history.

Big charities have advantages when it comes to responding to sudden disasters and providing aid in foreign countries, but local and start-up charities offer donors more of a direct opportunity to see how their money is being put to work. 

The humanitarian relief organization saw donations fall by nearly a third in the past year, according to the latest charitable giving survey conducted by The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

A Utah man became a social media sensation after he used an Olive Garden pass to feed the homeless. Americans like passing on feel-good stories about people doing good almost as much as they like spreading cute-pet videos or the latest on Kim Kardashian.

Giving Tuesday has gained serious traction on social media and in the development world as a kind of 'Philanthropy Super Bowl.'

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is a faraway problem for most Americans, making it a tricky target for private fundraising efforts. Google and Facebook are hoping to change that. 

After the deepest and longest drop in charitable donations in at least four decades, Americans are on track to give record amounts this year. However, the surge in charitable giving is coming almost exclusively from the wealthy, as lower and middle class incomes drop. 

Inspired by Black Friday and Cyber Monday, organizers have designated Giving Tuesday as a way of galvanizing support for nonprofits to ensure that consumers remember those in need during the busy shopping season.