America’s semiquincentennial marks a perfect opportunity to make charitable giving a new Independence Day tradition.
Those in the fundraising space are all too familiar with the year-end giving whirlwind: “Giving Tuesday” email blasts, Christmas campaigns, and even New Year’s initiatives are predicated on the fact that most charitable giving occurs in the final months of the year. The donation stream then tends to dry up during the summer months, as many supporters are on vacation or begin planning out their giving for the end of the year. In fact, according to one report, donations can fall as much as 18% below monthly averages during the July to August “summer slowdown.”
One project is seeking to change this.
America250, a nonpartisan initiative working to promote the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, recently initiated the “Giving 4th PSA Campaign.”
America250 made an official announcement launching the campaign on June 23rd of this year: “America250, the nonpartisan congressional commission planning the nation’s landmark 250th anniversary, has officially launched Giving 4th, the historic initiative aiming to permanently transform Independence Day into a new national tradition of generosity and shared community impact. Designed to be a lasting legacy of America’s Semiquincentennial for generations to come, the initiative calls on all Americans to add something new to their July 4th celebrations: giving back to the causes and communities they care about.”
A cornerstone of this campaign is a film titled “A Nation of Givers,” produced by Ogilvy and directed by TJ Martin and Dan Lindsay. “To inspire acts of giving for Giving 4th, the campaign is anchored by a powerful film that is a living portrait of American generosity captured through a collective of real, unfiltered moments across communities, causes, and decades. The film reveals a simple but powerful truth: generosity is already woven into the American experience. Giving 4th makes those acts visible and invites Americans to participate in a shared national moment of generosity”.
America250 is led by former U.S Treasurer and Chair Rosie Rios. Rios further elaborated on the importance of this new initiative, especially in helping combat the summer-month slump endured by so many nonprofits:
“While generosity is a defining part of who we are as Americans, charitable giving typically slows during the summer months, even though nonprofits continue serving their communities every day of the year. This Independence Day we’re inviting Americans to make a pledge to support a nonprofit or cause they care about at america250.org. On July 4th and thereafter, participants will fulfill these pledges by donating directly to any registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our hope is to inspire Americans to add one more tradition to their Independence Day celebrations, making charitable giving just as much a part of July 4th as fireworks, parades, and backyard barbecues.”
The push to make philanthropy part of the Fourth of July faces significant headwinds, as there are a host of reasons why financial support for nonprofits declines during the summer. One analysis by Charity Navigator notes numerous causes, including donors being on vacation more frequently as well as school breaks and extreme weather events causing local nonprofits to operate at full capacity.
The East Texas Communities Foundation also highlighted the damaging effect this slump can have on charitable organizations, using churches as just one example of the havoc this decline can wreak:
“The summer slump has been a formidable opponent for churches for years. Many factors play a part in this, including lower weekend attendance, vacations and summer distractions. A study by Fellowship One found that contributions to the church in June, July and August of 2013 were down 13 percent in comparison to the previous three months. Another study by Vanco found that offerings to the church in the form of a check were down 40 percent during the summer months when compared to April and December giving.”
Due to this deeply entrenched habit—or lack thereof—Rios argued that a sweeping campaign such as Giving 4th is needed to bring about the changes necessary to reverse this trend:
“Consumer behavior is really hard to change unless there is a shock to the system, so we want to use the Semiquincentennial milestone to create that shock. Independence Day already brings Americans together to celebrate our country and our communities.”
Overcoming this slump is crucial, especially considering how crucial nonprofits are in many facets of American life. To give one statistic showing economic centrality, Nonprofit Quarterly reported more than $1.4 trillion in economic activity was generated by nonprofits in 2023 alone.
Rios also noted that Americans value seeing their giving in action, especially when it helps organizations that serve their local communities, such as food banks or animal shelters. But more importantly, charitable giving points to deeper convictions that Americans hold, and July 4th provides an opportunity to remind the country of this key national trait:
“More broadly, giving reflects something fundamental about who we are as Americans. It's one of the ways we care for our neighbors, contribute to our communities, and invest in a stronger future for everyone. Moments like Independence Day remind us of the importance of coming together. Giving back creates connections, strengthens communities, and reinforces the shared values that have always defined our country.”
Other voices in the nonprofit space have come out in support of Giving 4th. Denis McDonough, the CEO of Feeding America, had this to say regarding the campaign:
"America is strongest when neighbors look out for one another and help ensure everyone has access to the food they need to thrive. Giving 4th creates an important opportunity to turn generosity into action at a time of year when charitable giving often slows. Supporting our communities in such meaningful ways is in keeping with the celebration of America and Americans looking out for one another at our 250th anniversary.”
With July 4th just around the corner, Rios emphasized that the Giving 4th campaign is meant to inspire all Americans to participate. She hopes that the campaign and the film go beyond the holiday to help inspire a greater outpouring of charitable giving in the summer months ahead:
“My hope is that people finish watching and think, ‘I can be part of that.’ Because that's what Giving 4th is all about. Every American has the ability to make a difference, and every act of generosity, no matter how big or small, helps strengthen our communities. If the campaign inspires someone to make a Giving 4th pledge and donate to a cause they care about on July 4th, we've taken an important step toward building a new national tradition of generosity. The call to action is to start now, give early, and give often. Every donation, no matter the size, helps nonprofits continue serving their communities and demonstrates the collective impact Americans can have when we give together.”
Happy Independence Day!
