Nonprofits across the country are ramping up their GivingTuesday campaigns—but we can’t pretend we’re operating in normal times.

The Trump administration and its allies in Congress continue to pursue massive funding cuts, many of which will directly affect nonprofits, and target progressive organizations whose missions or values conflict with those of the White House. Leaders are facing funding and fundraising challenges they’ve never had to navigate before.

But the fundraising cannot stop. Many organizations are using this GivingTuesday as an opportunity to amplify—rather than retreat from—their missions and to tap into widespread outrage over the ongoing decimation of civil society.

“This GivingTuesday, we’re highlighting the urgent need to invest in local government leaders who are on the front lines of stopping authoritarianism and protecting civil rights,” said Jocelyn Harmon, chief development officer of Public Rights Project (PRP), which helps local government officials fight for their civil rights.

Harmon told NPQ that now is not the moment for nonprofits to soften their message. In an environment where federal hostility is escalating and nonprofits are losing critical funding, clarity matters. For organizations like PRP, that means calling out exactly what’s happening—the loss of federal dollars, the communities being targeted, and the real harm that follows.

Last year’s GivingTuesday showed that donations grew even as the number of donors fell. It’s becoming less about finding brand-new supporters and more about keeping the people who already believe in your work engaged.

“Donors are hungry for hope—not in a vague sense,” Harmon said, “but in the form of real levers they can pull to protect democracy and civil rights….We have to do more than describe the crisis—we have to offer a way through it.”

Lessons for GivingTuesday: Standing Up in Tough Times

For nonprofits facing political hostility, PRP offers an example of a lesson for GivingTuesday about how to lean into the moment rather than shy away from it. And their approach provides lessons every mission-driven organization can use this year.

PRP’s civil rights work is under extraordinary strain in 2025. As the federal government leans further into authoritarian tactics, local governments are left to shoulder the burden of protecting reproductive rights, voting rights, workers’ rights, and other core civil rights. PRP’s role, providing litigation support, legal representation, training, and fellowships, has never been more essential.

Read the full article about lessons from the Public Rights Project by Jennifer Johnson at Nonprofit Quarterly.