From employee-led giving to creative community partnerships, these real-world examples show how organizations are putting generosity into action through GivingTuesday campaigns.
Not sure what your campaign should look like this year? Get inspired by an idea. Companies are letting employees vote on which nonprofits get funded. A conservation nonprofit turned a matching gift into a bigger ask. A bookstore partnered with seven youth service clubs to put hundreds of books in kids’ hands. And one campaign turned a concert rider, of all things, into 1,500 pounds of pet food.
These five organizations found their own way to participate in GivingTuesday, now you can borrow the playbook. Here’s what they did, and how to make it work for your community.
1. Give Employees a Voice in Where Support Goes
Example: Czech Companies Make Generosity a Team Effort
In the Czech Republic, companies have found ways to make generosity part of the employee experience. ČEPS invites employees to vote on nonprofit projects to support, while ČEZ has an employee-nominated giving program that combines staff contributions with matching funds from the ČEZ Foundation.
Try it: Invite employees, volunteers, or supporters to nominate causes, vote on a project, or help decide where a portion of your campaign’s funds will go. Giving people a voice can make participation feel more personal.
2. Give Your Fundraising a Boost With a Matching Campaign
Example: Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s GivingTuesday 2025 Match Campaign
A matching campaign can give supporters an extra reason to contribute by showing how their gifts can go further. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s 2025 GivingTuesday campaign in Kenya is one example of how a matching offer can be part of a fundraising effort for wildlife conservation.
Try it: Ask a longtime donor, local business, or community partner if they’d consider matching gifts up to a set amount. Make the terms clear and show supporters how their contributions help you reach your goal.
3. Put Community Members at the Center of Giving
Example: How the Special Foundations Giving Circle Powers Community-Led Generosity
Giving circles bring people together to pool resources and make giving decisions collectively. They’re one way to help community members play an active role in supporting the causes that matter to them.
Try it: Ask your community what needs they’re seeing and what kinds of support would make a difference. You could invite supporters to recommend a local organization, contribute to a shared fund, or help shape your campaign priorities.
4. Let Young People Lead
Example: Youth-Led Generosity Is Thriving
In partnership with Rotary, GivingTuesday invited Rotaract clubs to lead service projects around the world in 2025. In Abuja, Nigeria, Adam’s Pages Bookstore worked with seven Rotaract clubs across Abuja and Lafia on a book and stationery drive. Together, they distributed more than 300 books, 120 exercise books, and other supplies, reaching over 215 children.
Try it: Give young people the resources and flexibility to lead a project they care about. Whether it’s a supply drive, a neighborhood cleanup, or a social media campaign, let them help shape the idea and decide how to bring it to life.
5. Get Creative With the Resources You Already Have
Example: Puerto Rico’s “Demands for Giving” Campaign
For GivingTuesday 2025, GivingTuesday Puerto Rico and creative agency de la Cruz Ogilvy found a new use for a familiar concert tradition: the backstage rider. Reggaeton duo Jowell & Randy requested 1,500 pounds of dog and cat food for local animal rescue Save a Sato during a five-night run at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico. Other artists joined the effort, too.
The campaign turned an existing industry practice into a way to support animals in need.
Try it: Look at what your organization or community already has, whether that’s a local event, a business partnership, a creative talent, or an established tradition. Could you give it a generous twist for GivingTuesday on December 1?
Find Your Own Inspiration
Your GivingTuesday campaign doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Start with what your community cares about, find a meaningful way to bring people together, and go from there.
Explore the Stories of Generosity Map for more ideas from communities around the world, and visit our official 2026 Participate Page for more resources.
GivingTuesday is December 1, but generosity happens all year long. Use the day to celebrate what your community is already doing and invite even more people to take part!
