Understanding the GivingTuesday Distributed Model
Characterize and model the GivingTuesday distributed movement by deriving insights from the accomplishments and learnings of its network of leaders. Here we explore the broader application of GivingTuesday’s insights on peer-learning communities and proximate leadership practices to inform new ways of working towards change.
Under this theme, we are investigating our own organization to discover lessons that are valuable not only for the progression of the GivingTuesday movement but also for others interested in building similar types of structures. In recent years, the digital revolution has brought new kinds of organizations and networks into being which have demonstrated that traditional roles played by leaders are complemented by self-organizing communities. While barriers to participation in these networks are low, these networks need to think about how to foster meaningful engagement through incentives for sharing, organizing, and adaptation. We are committed to learning from our own experiences and improving how the movement functions, through the facilitation of peer learning communities and the adoption of proximate leadership practices. In addition, the GivingTuesday Data Commons maps and nurtures networks we connect to, develops relationships for resource sharing, and builds infrastructure for sharing data and insights.
GOAL: To derive insights from the accomplishments and learnings of the GivingTuesday movement, specifically focused on its unique distributed model of working. This includes exploring the broader application of insights from this model to inform others about potential new ways of working towards change.
Our Initiative from this Research Area
Research Topics
Civil society organizations are working in a challenging political and social environment, which can, in turn, impede the ability of the social sector to meet the needs of the communities they serve. By looking at current global conditions of polarization and fragmentation, we aim to research the ways in which generosity, as both a personal value and a form of collective action, can bridge divides and bring people together across ideological, economic, and social spectrums. We explore the extent to which the social sector is being shaped by current movements and coalitions as well as how changing ideas of agenda setting and power are shaping organizations and movements.
The philanthropic landscape is undergoing significant changes driven by advancements in technology and the rise of grassroots movements. This has provided an opportunity for the democratization of giving thorough online giving platforms, crowdfunding, mutual aid groups, digital activism, impact investing, etc. The rise of collaborative philanthropy has also resulted in a shift in power dynamics, putting pressure on institutions to be more inclusive, collaborative, and responsive to the needs and priorities of the communities they serve. We collaborate with sector partners and researchers to study participatory and globalized approaches to giving and by developing tools and products that enable the understanding and embracing of these changes.
Traditional networks are often classified as either distributed and leaderless (e.g. Occupy Wall Street) or centralized and leaderful (e.g. Amnesty International). The GivingTuesday movement is grounded in a model that emphasizes both decentralization and leadership. For example, individual country leaders are largely autonomous but they coordinate organically on both strategy and tactics. Through this research question, the GivingTuesday Data Commons investigates both the quantitative metrics of our network and the qualitative experience of leadership and movement participation.
Civil society organizations are working in a challenging political and social environment, which can, in turn, impede the ability of the social sector to meet the needs of the communities they serve. By looking at current global conditions of polarization and fragmentation, we aim to research the ways in which generosity, as both a personal value and a form of collective action, can bridge divides and bring people together across ideological, economic, and social spectrums. We explore the extent to which the social sector is being shaped by current movements and coalitions as well as how changing ideas of agenda setting and power are shaping organizations and movements.
The philanthropic landscape is undergoing significant changes driven by advancements in technology and the rise of grassroots movements. This has provided an opportunity for the democratization of giving thorough online giving platforms, crowdfunding, mutual aid groups, digital activism, impact investing, etc. The rise of collaborative philanthropy has also resulted in a shift in power dynamics, putting pressure on institutions to be more inclusive, collaborative, and responsive to the needs and priorities of the communities they serve. We collaborate with sector partners and researchers to study participatory and globalized approaches to giving and by developing tools and products that enable the understanding and embracing of these changes.
Traditional networks are often classified as either distributed and leaderless (e.g. Occupy Wall Street) or centralized and leaderful (e.g. Amnesty International). The GivingTuesday movement is grounded in a model that emphasizes both decentralization and leadership. For example, individual country leaders are largely autonomous but they coordinate organically on both strategy and tactics. Through this research question, the GivingTuesday Data Commons investigates both the quantitative metrics of our network and the qualitative experience of leadership and movement participation.
