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#GivingTuesday 2025

Don't limit your #GivingTuesday gifts to the non-profit industrial complex!

Jon

• 3 min read
Dozens of stylized multi-colored hearts (the Giving Tuesday logo). In the center, a multicored pentagram fediverse logo

Giving Tuesday is a non-profit whose supporters include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Amazon's aws non-profits, Google.org ... oh well, it is what it is. But there's no reason to limit your Giving Tuesday gifts to the "non-profit industrial complex".

This year's list is a lot longer than last year, and for a good reason: things are pretty grim here in the USA, and many people and organizations are under huge pressure. If you've got a bit of money to spare, please consider also supporting one or two of these – or similar organizations in your area.

The Nexus of Privacy primarily focuses on decentralized social networks and digital rights, so that'll be the bulk of the list. That said, we live in a society, so I'll start with several non-profits that do crucial work on shoestring budgets.

  • Gender Justice League is a civil & human rights organization that focuses on elevating the rights of TwoSpirit, Trans, & Gender Diverse (2STGD) communities in Washington State & beyond
  • Native Organizers Alliance (NOA) taps into the political power of our people, and the wisdom of our ancestors, to drive change in Indian Country.
  • REBUILD is a Darkness RISING program connecting formerly incarcerated and justice-impacted people of color – including people detained and released by ICE – with culturally competent therapists of color
  • Palmetto State Abortion Fund is a 100% volunteer run nonprofit that serves South Carolinians seeking abortion care

Moving on to decentralized social networks ... last year, I focused primarily on the Fediverse; this year, I'm also including the ATmosphere (although there isn't an ATmosphere logo yet, so I didn't update the image at the top of the post)

  • Blacksky Algorithms is creating the intercommunal net, scaling safe communities with shared resources & democratic tools.
  • Northsky Social is a nonprofit worker-owned cooperative, creating a safer social media experience for 2SLGBTQIA+ people, powered by ATProtocol.
  • Bonfire Networks is creating building blocks for communities on the open social web. You can support Bonfire through their IndieGogo fundraiser.
  • Conjured Ink is a collective building a network and community of ecommerce tools that will allow for cheap or even free self-hosting of online shops by anyone, while providing maximal freedom when it comes to payment processors.
  • Spritely Institute, led by ActivityPub spec co-author Christine Lemmer-Webber, is building new foundations for the internet: safer, more decentralized and distributed, community-centric tech. See Christine's detailed #GivingTuesday thread for a lot more information.
  • The #MutualAid hashtag on Mastodon and Bluesky is filled with people who rely on giving from the fediverse – and giving money directly to people in need has a huge impact.
  • Black-led fediverse instances like blackqueer.life, diaspora.im, and blacktwitter.io play an important role in the ecosystem – and need support as well
  • If you're on an instance run by an individual or a coop, like they say, charity begins at home.

And independent media fills a crucial role on decentralized social networks. There are too many good options to list ... but here are four that I've found especially valuable.

  • LA Taco is the fearless reporting that Los Angeles deserves, and a vital source for information on the ICE occupation – and the resistance
  • Unraveled is independent, reader supported investigative reporting from Chicago on policing and state violence
  • Trans News Network is a worker-run nonprofit LGBTQ+ newsroom publishing articles that impact trans communities.

If you're specifically looking to make tax-deductible donations, several of the earlier entries are 501(c)(3) non-profits. Here are two more who consistently do great work and align with fedi's values.

  • MediaJustice challenges corporate media and big tech power in pursuit of racial justice
  • Fight for the Future Education Fund is a group of artists, engineers, activists, and technologists fight for a future where technology is a force for liberation— not oppression.
  • Global Voices is an international, multilingual community of writers, translators, and human rights activists leveraging the power of the internet to tell stories that build understanding across borders.

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