Business & Real Estate

What is the Big Day of Giving? Learn about the 24-hour challenge for good

Feeling charitable? The Sacramento Region’s Big Day of Giving will be celebrated on Thursday, May 7, and for all who are feeling generous it is a time to support your favorite nonprofits for the hard work and effort they put back into the community.

Here’s what to know:

What is the Big Day of Giving?

Big Day of Giving is a celebration of local nonprofits and the work they do for the region. As part of a long-standing initiative to grow local philanthropy, Big Day of Giving is a 24-hour giving challenge that encourages the generosity of small and large donations to the organizations that provide support for the area’s most vulnerable communities.

Since the event’s conception in 2013, more than 60,000 donors have helped hundreds of nonprofit organizations in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties raising more than $117 million, according to the Sacramento Region Community Foundation.

Most donors gave gifts under $50, proving the power of small donations.

How do you participate in Big Day of Giving?

Those interested in participating can do so through a few avenues, but the main idea is to provide financial support to organizations that are improving the region.

Whether or not you have an organization in mind, there is a database to help. GivingEdge is a year-round resource for information on local nonprofits in the Sacramento region.

The searchable database provides users a platform to discover groups and organizations that align with the user’s interests and passions. The site gathers all available documentation on operating budgets, any ongoing donation goals, recent events and a breakdown of the work the organizations do.

What are some Sacramento-area organizations to donate to?

The greater Sacramento area is home to thousands of nonprofits working to improve the lives of those in their communities from protecting and preserving local ecosystems, to child welfare, food pantries or caring for abandoned animals. If there is a cause you care about there is likely a nonprofit dedicated to it.

Here is a short list of some of the organizations making a difference in the region.

Animal Welfare:

A crowd gathers around a contained rattlesnake held by a Save The Snake group member during SnakeFest hosted at Hagan Community Park in Rancho Cordova on May 2, 2026. SnakeFest is an annual festival to celebrates California’s snake population.
A crowd gathers around a contained rattlesnake held by a Save The Snake group member during SnakeFest hosted at Hagan Community Park in Rancho Cordova on May 2, 2026. SnakeFest is an annual festival to celebrates California’s snake population. Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado valvarado@sacbee.com

The Arts:

Child Welfare:

Environmental:

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Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
The Sacramento Bee
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado is a service journalism reporter at The Sacramento Bee. She previously worked at the Star Democrat in Annapolis, Maryland. Veronica graduated from Georgetown University with a master’s degree in journalism.
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