What is #GivingTuesday?

#GivingTuesday, in short, is a celebration of giving. It is a growing movement to celebrate and provide incentives to give. A first of its kind effort, #GivingTuesday will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners — charities, families, businesses, and individuals — to transform how people think about, talk about, and participate in the giving season.

The second annual #GivingTuesday is Dec. 3. Mark your calendars! Immediately following Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday aims to inspire people worldwide to improve their communities by giving back to local charities and causes they support.

How did #GivingTuesday start?

New York’s 92nd Street Y was the catalyst for #GivingTuesday. The U.N. Foundation provided their strategic and communications expertise, and a team of advisors shaped #GivingTuesday’s strategy. Mashable, Facebook, Variety, Groupon, and the William Morris Agency gathered leaders in the social good world for influencer meetings across the United States. More than 2,500 charities, organizations, and corporations participated in the first #GivingTuesday on Nov. 27, 2012.

Organizations saw a marked increase in donations year on year, and the movement left 2.5 million social media impressions, including those by the White House, the Clinton Foundation, and Bill Gates.