The holidays are a time when generosity shines brightest. At Taproot, we believe generosity is most powerful when it moves into action. And what better way to activate that spirit than using your skills to support the organizations that drive change all year round?
Over the next month, we’re exploring how the holiday season can fuel impact, why holiday giving matters, and how skills-based volunteering is the ultimate gift—one that transforms communities and creates lasting change.
Let’s make this season not just about celebration, but also about giving and growing together.
Why now? Understanding the Holiday Giving Season
This time of year, our inboxes and social feeds are often filled with nonprofit appeals. As the holidays approach, organizations ramp up their outreach, inviting supporters to give, connect, and join their missions.
For those outside the nonprofit world, this sudden surge can feel surprising. Why does this happen? Where does this push come from?
Let’s pull back the curtain and share the “reason for the season.” The truth is this isn’t just a trend—it’s a deeply rooted tradition in philanthropy known as Giving Season. Understanding its history and purpose helps us see why this time of year is so critical for nonprofits and makes it even more important to lean into our own roles in amplifying impact.
What is Holiday Giving Season?
Holiday Giving Season spans from late November through the end of December—a time when charitable giving reaches its peak. In fact, nonprofits raise 24%-47% of their annual online revenue during this period, and as much as 40% of all one-time donations happen in December alone. (Neon One)
The Story Behind Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday is more than a date on the calendar—it’s a global movement for generosity. Launched in 2012 by Henry Timms (then Executive Director of 92nd Street Y) and Asha Curran (CEO of GivingTuesday), its mission is simple yet profound: to inspire people everywhere to practice radical generosity.
While financial contributions often take center stage, Giving Tuesday celebrates all acts of kindness. Nonprofits leverage this day to unite communities through coordinated outreach, matching gift challenges, and storytelling that mobilizes support for causes that matter. (Stanford PACS)
And there’s a practical side too: December marks the close of the fiscal tax year in the U.S., which means donors often make year-end contributions for tax benefits.
The holiday season naturally evokes connection, gratitude, and gift-giving. For nonprofits, this emotional backdrop creates an opportunity to invite supporters into something bigger—a shared commitment to making the world better.
From Fundraising to Resource Raising – Volunteerism’s vital role
Holiday Giving Season isn’t just about fundraising—it’s about activating generosity at scale. It’s a time when individuals, communities, and organizations come together to create lasting impact.
That’s where resource raising comes in. At Taproot, we champion this approach of looking beyond financial contributions to the full spectrum of support: skilled talent, strong networks, innovative programming, and intentional systems that make impact sustainable and durable. Resource raising is about building a resilient ecosystem in which every contribution, from expertise to advocacy, strengthens the social sector.
And volunteers are at the heart of this ecosystem. When you share your skills, you’re not just helping with a project; you’re laying the groundwork for long-term success. You’re ensuring that nonprofits have the strategic insight, operational strength, and creative capacity to serve individuals and communities effectively.
Taproot’s Holiday volunteerism campaign: Ways to join our movement to mobilize generosity this holiday season
Every holiday season, Taproot leans into this spirit of radical generosity by mobilizing skilled volunteers to strengthen nonprofits when support matters most. This year we’re inviting you to be part of the movement.
Here’s how you can plug in:
- Browse and apply for volunteer opportunities: Share your expertise with nonprofits that need your skills to thrive.
- Join Taproot Live: Celebrate Giving Tuesday by Donating Time & Talent: Looking for the perfect fit? Our team will be available live to connect you with unique opportunities to match your skills and interests. Register here.
- Celebrate impact together: Throughout the season, you’ll hear stories from fellow volunteers and see firsthand the difference pro bono consulting makes for organizations. Share that content to help us create even more impact!
- If you’d like your experience to be featured, sign up for this session to share your story or fill out this survey to leave us a few short quotes and help us inspire other volunteers to join in.
Pulling it all together: How your expertise can spark change
Generosity isn’t just about giving—it’s about sharing the best of what makes you, you. When you volunteer your professional skills, you’re offering something extraordinary: the knowledge and experience you’ve built through years of learning and leading. Skills-based volunteering turns that expertise into impact. Holiday Giving isn’t just about charity; it’s about equipping nonprofits with the tools to thrive by sharing insights only you can provide.
And the ripple effect goes even further. Skills-based volunteering creates a powerful exchange: nonprofits gain capacity to innovate and thrive and volunteers grow as leaders, all enabling communities to flourish. Each opportunity helps families access vital services, students discover opportunities, ecosystems thrive, and more. And for volunteers, every skill donation deepens purpose, builds networks, and sharpens skills. Together, we’re not just addressing individual project needs—we’re shaping a better world, one connection at a time.
At its heart, skills-based volunteering is about seeing yourself in the story of change. It’s about recognizing that the talents you use everyday can become lifelines for organizations doing critical work. When you give your skills, you give nonprofits the confidence to dream bigger—and the capacity to make those dreams real. That’s generosity at its most powerful: giving not just what you have, but who you are.
