This November, we asked Georgia to #showyourlove for nonprofits, and our state came together in a record outpouring of generosity and community spirit. Today, we are thrilled to report that our second GAgives on #GivingTuesday campaign netted a grand total of $7.8 million in donations to our state's nonprofits – an increase of 15% from 2017 – including gifts of nearly $3.4 million through GAgives.org, and another $4.4 million across two dozen other donation platforms.

The Georgia Center for Nonprofits is honored to have led our state's biggest giving movement since the launch of Georgia Gives Day in 2012, inspiring Georgians to recognize nonprofits, share their worth, and give back. Last year, we re-launched the campaign as GAgives on #GivingTuesday, officially joining the 50-state, 150-country #GivingTuesday initiative.

In its first seven years, Georgia's annual day of giving has galvanized more than $28 million in donations – over 150,000 individual gifts – all directly benefiting our state's nonprofits, and amplified by corporate and foundation prize sponsorships and matching grants topping $1 million to date. Over that time, GCN has adapted the campaign to answer dramatic changes in nonprofit fundraising practice, driven by new donation technologies, social media tactics and platforms, donor demands, and more. Nonprofit strategies continue to diversify, with participating nonprofits incorporating the use of more donation channels; as we plan for 2019, the GAgives team will be considering how GCN can best support evolving needs and opportunities through the GAgives initiative.

And the giving tradition continues: Mark your calendars for next year's GAgives on #GivingTuesday on December 3, 2019.

"There couldn't be any greater proof of Georgia's incredible generosity, and ever-increasing appreciation of the work nonprofits do to strengthen our communities, than the continuous, year-over-year growth of GAgives," said GCN President and CEO Karen Beavor. "Of course, we're already planning for next year's GAgives on #GivingTuesday, making sure we capitalize on the momentum we've built with the help of thousands of participating nonprofits and their supporters."

"When we first conceived of #GivingTuesday, we imagined a way to use people's collective power to overcome what divides us, and unite behind our shared values. To now surpass a billion dollars in giving and volunteering is a testament to a global spirit of generosity that may not always make it into the headlines, but is evident in every corner of America and around the world," said Henry Timms, Executive Director of 92Y and Co-Founder of #GivingTuesday. "At a time when people's differences can seem so pronounced, #GivingTuesday demonstrates that everyday acts of compassion can spread, inspire, and bring us closer."

Beyond funds raised, the GAgives initiative proves the power of collaboration among nonprofits, foundations, companies, governments, and individuals. The impact we've made would not be possible without Georgia's vibrant nonprofit community and the help of our generous partners. We'd like to express our deepest appreciation for:

Thousands of participating nonprofits, for compelling campaigns that activate everyday philanthropists to give to causes they care about most;

Our generous network of leading corporate and foundation partners, including The Coca-Cola Foundation, Cureo, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Gas South, Arby's Foundation, Cox Enterprises, Southwest Airlines, Chick-fil-A, Corey Companies, and Georgia-Pacific, providing critical support for our efforts and popular challenge incentives that motivate donors to action;

ASO Advertising, for creative multimedia appeals and dynamic storytelling that helps drive higher levels of giving;

Comprehensive coverage from media partners WSB Family 2 Family, 11 Alive/TEGNA Foundation, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Business Chronical, AutoTrader.com, Georgia Association of Broadcasters, Georgia News Network, and Cox Media Group assets, for contributing their unparalleled reach to raise awareness of nonprofits making a difference in our communities from Metro Atlanta to Georgia's Gold Coast;

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Mike Luckovich, for creating yet another GAgives cartoon that inspires Georgians to show their love;

Governor Nathan Deal, whose unwavering endorsement throughout his term confirms Georgia's commitment to generosity and giving back;

The #GivingTuesday team, whose partnership and vision strengthens our efforts to lead this global giving phenomenon for our state;

GCN's dedicated internal team, for conceiving and orchestrating the campaign for the past seven years; and

The countless businesses, civic leaders, and volunteers who contribute resources, expertise, and influence toward Georgia's greater good on #GivingTuesday and all year long.

"When Georgia's nonprofits benefit, so does Georgia," said Beavor. "GCN is grateful for all the efforts, great and small, that played a part in making Nov. 27, 2018 a landmark day of generosity for our state's nonprofits."