Every year, GivingTuesday brings people together for a global day of charitable giving. Started in 2012 as a response to the shopping frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the movement encourages people to donate, volunteer and support causes they care about.
In Cumberland County, GivingTuesday has become much more than just a national tradition — it’s a local celebration of generosity. Through the work of local organizations like Cumberland Community Foundation (CCF), GivingTuesday has become a powerful way to support the county’s nonprofits and improve the quality of life for its residents.
GivingTuesday, which happens annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (this year on Dec. 3), is an opportunity to support local nonprofits that directly impact the community’s well-being. These organizations serve important needs, from health care and education to arts and housing, and the CCF GivingTuesday campaign makes it easy for donors to give locally.
Through its campaign, CCF helps donors of all means contribute to these causes, strengthening the county’s nonprofits and ensuring their important work continues. The campaign promotes giving as a way to foster community spirit and support the organizations that improve daily life in Cumberland County.
According to Cumberland Community Foundation Donor Services Manager Maddie Kellogg, CCF launched its first GivingTuesday campaign in 2020 to assist local nonprofits that struggled to run their own campaigns due to the busy year-end season.
“Our core mission is building endowments — helping donors support the causes they love forever through an endowment,” Kellogg told CityView. “But, we have the software and gift management system to run this kind of campaign so we decided to help our grantees by offering this service.”
CCF developed a system that streamlines the donation process and offers essential support. The organization handles all gift processing, sends tax receipts to donors, and ensures funds are sent to participating nonprofits. In 2023, CCF processed over 3,700 donations in just 10 days, raising over $2.5 million in total. This not only makes it easier for donors to contribute, but also supports local nonprofits with the financial resources they need to carry out their work.
The organization also provides training on how to run successful campaigns for nonprofit staff and gives them a toolkit with resources that nonprofits can then use to promote their missions. CCF also raises matching funds in advance of the campaign, thereby amplifying donations. This year, $525,000 in matching funds has been raised for local organizations.
Since its origins, CCF’s GivingTuesday campaign has been transformative for local nonprofits. According to Kellogg, many organizations report increases in donations towards the close of the year, helping them continue their services into the next year. In 2023, 70% of participants said their existing donors increased their contributions, and 30% reported that over half of their donations came from first-time donors.
Kellogg explained that one common misconception is that nonprofits compete for the same donors, but she highlighted that organizations in Cumberland County collaborate and help each other year-round. Each year, CCF hosts a kickoff event where local nonprofits gather to share ideas and strategies. This sense of community collaboration helps build stronger partnerships.”They understand that rising tides raise all ships,” Kellogg told CityView.
Now in its fifth year, CCF’s GivingTuesday campaign continues to grow, uplifting local organizations in their missions to improve the community.
