Generosity as a Bridge: How Nonprofits Can Use Year-End Campaigns to Unify Supporters

As the post-election dust settles, we wake in a world still deeply divided. Division and polarization continue to permeate our society, creating significant barriers to positive social and economic change.

It may feel as though this level of division is a uniquely American experience, but rising political and social divisions are a global challenge, threatening the foundations of community, trust, and cooperation worldwide. As noted in Giving Tuesday’s 2023 “Giving Bridge” trend report, many countries are grappling with fractured public landscapes, where conflicting viewpoints and values threaten to widen gulfs between people.

But for U.S. nonprofits, these divisions present a unique challenge—and a unique opportunity. As Giving Tuesday and the year-end giving season approach, organizational leaders may wonder how to best appeal for support amid this highly polarized environment. How can they build strong, lasting connections with their communities when people’s trust in institutions, government—and each other—feels so frayed?

Recognizing Generosity as a Bridge

The nonprofit sector has an opportunity—and a responsibility—to play a role in bringing people together. Why?

Because nonprofits are uniquely positioned to bridge divides.

According to the Independent Sector’s 2024 report, Americans trust nonprofits more than corporations, the government, and the media when it comes to reducing national divisions. This trust empowers nonprofits to lean into their role as unifiers, offering people a path to connection rather than conflict. 

What’s more, Giving Tuesday’s report suggests that people are more willing to help others whose values or lifestyles may differ from their own when that connection is rooted in respect, care, and generosity.

These findings suggest that macro ideological differences tend to fall away when people are presented with opportunities to help others, especially through acts of giving and volunteerism.

And this powerful “giving bridge” concept—that generosity can act as a connector between people—is one that nonprofits are well-suited to embrace.

Creating a Giving Bridge in Your Year-End Campaign

Ahead of the upcoming season of giving, nonprofits can help mend divides by drafting messaging that advocates for common ground, community, and human connection.

Here are three strategies for creating more resonant, human-centered communications that invite donors to become part of something greater:

• Shift the Narrative. Your nonprofit is not the “hero” of the story—your supporters are. Use your messaging to show donors they have the power to drive change through your work. Instead of focusing on your organization’s efforts, highlight how donors make a tangible difference, inviting them to be part of something bigger. At Next Stage, we design movement-building brand strategies, informed by the StoryBrand framework, that help nonprofits empower their supporters as the true heroes of their missions. Here’s how it works in practice:

Before: “We provided shelter to 500 families.“

After: “You helped 500 families find safety.“

By positioning donors as heroes, you transform fundraising into a shared journey, deepening their commitment and making them integral players in your mission—not just passive supporters. These human-centered appeals inspire lasting impact and reinforce the power of generosity.

• Tell Empowering Stories. Move beyond storytelling that positions people’s hardships as the emotional drivers of your appeal. Instead, highlight the positive outcomes generosity creates—with an emphasis on empowerment rather than collective sympathy. Showcase stories that capture the strengths and achievements of the people your nonprofit supports, letting donors see the full picture of what their generosity enables through your programming. By focusing on outcomes and dignity, nonprofits can inspire support grounded in respect and shared humanity.
• Build Belonging Between Your Supporters. Create opportunities for donors to feel a sense of belonging with your organization. In essence, aim to create a support community that embodies the giving bridge concept itself. Nonprofits often build one-to-one relationships with donors, but they rarely encourage donors to connect with each other. But by acting as a catalyst for cross-donor connections, nonprofits can nurture a vibrant and engaged philanthropic community united in shared purpose. Creating spaces for supporters to engage with one another—through local events, online platforms, or peer groups—can help them feel like they’re part of an impactful, values-driven network.

Healing Division Through Generosity

I know many of you may be feeling conflicted about the world and your nonprofit’s place in it. And it’s important to take the time to reflect and heal before recommitting to advancing social good and support for our communities.

But at a time when 94% of Americans are worried about growing divisions and a lack of national unity, we want nonprofit leaders to take heart knowing that their work is largely seen as part of the solution.

Our communities need the hope and human connection nonprofits can provide—not just through the programs they deliver but through their ability to build cultures of caring and generosity that transcend differences.

So nonprofit leaders, when you’re ready, I hope you’ll feel empowered to forge a path of new possibilities and opportunities.

Because your work matters—perhaps now more than ever.

Let this upcoming season of giving be a call to action. Step forward not only as providers of impactful programs but as catalysts for empathy, understanding, and unity.

Because we each hold the power to bridge divides—one act of generosity at a time.

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