Key Takeaways
America250, the congressional commission behind the nation's 250th anniversary, launched Giving 4th to turn July 4 into a permanent national tradition of charitable giving, and pledges come due today.
The campaign targets the summer slump, the midyear decline in donations that hits local nonprofits hardest, and GivingTuesday will track giving nationwide to measure whether the tradition sticks.
A benefit broadcast from One Times Square on July 3 featured Mary J. Blige, Brad Paisley, and NE-YO, and the Times Square ball dropped eight times, once for midnight in every American time zone.
America's 250th birthday came with a new ask: give something. America250, the nonpartisan congressional commission planning the Semiquincentennial, has launched Giving 4th, an initiative built to make charitable giving as much a part of Independence Day as fireworks and cookouts. Americans pledge support through the summer at America250.org/giving4th, then fulfill those pledges starting July 4 by donating directly to any registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Rosie Rios, America250 chair and former Treasurer of the United States, said the goal is to ensure "the spirit of generosity remains a lasting part of America's legacy."
Why nonprofits need a summer holiday
The date is deliberate. Local nonprofits face a dramatic midyear decline in donor support, and Giving 4th is built as a nationwide call to break that cycle. Americans are also giving less overall, a trend a Fortune op-ed argued a July 4 tradition could help reverse. To keep the effort measurable, America250 is working with GivingTuesday, the group behind the post-Thanksgiving giving day, to track donations nationwide.
A launch with real production value
The campaign is anchored by a film from Academy Award-winning directors TJ Martin and Dan Lindsay, and it launched with a benefit broadcast from One Times Square on July 3 featuring Mary J. Blige, Brad Paisley, and NE-YO. For the first time, the Times Square ball dropped eight times, marking midnight in every American time zone from Guam to American Samoa.
The sector could use the lift. A single celebrity gift this week sent nine food banks a share of $26 million, but new tax rules could cut US giving by $81 billion over the next decade. Whether a new date on the giving calendar moves real money is now a measurable question. Worth watching.
People Also Ask
What is Giving 4th?
Giving 4th is a national initiative from America250 that asks Americans to make charitable giving part of their July 4 celebration, with pledges fulfilled by donating to any registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
How do I participate in Giving 4th?
Take the pledge at America250.org/giving4th, then donate directly to a nonprofit of your choice on or after July 4. Any registered 501(c)(3) qualifies.
Why does July 4 need a giving tradition?
Nonprofits face a midyear drop in donations known as the summer slump. Giving 4th aims to fill that gap the way Giving Tuesday anchors year-end giving.
Who is tracking Giving 4th donations?
America250 is collaborating with GivingTuesday, the global generosity movement, to track charitable donations nationwide and measure the campaign's impact.