Welcome to the second-busiest shopping day of the year.
That’s right, December 26th is one of the busiest days in retail. After the flurry of holiday shopping and Black Friday, many of us head back to the stores (or to our inboxes) to return, exchange, or re-think the gifts we gave or received. In the world of retail, it’s a day of logistics and receipts; for those of us who give, it can be a quiet moment of reckoning.
Business Insider noted last year that returns peak in the days after Christmas, and retailers scramble to process exchanges and refunds. Shoppers likewise take stock of what worked and what didn’t. December 26th can feel like a report card. We look at our holiday boxes and bags and ask: how much of what we gave missed the mark? What percent of our gifts were loved, and kept, and what percent were returned or set aside?
When it comes to philanthropy, most of us give because we want to make a difference. But just like holiday gifting, our generosity can fall short of the change we hope for, even with the best intentions. This can happen for a variety of reasons, and each is an opportunity to learn and grow as a giver. Those lessons feel especially timely on a day that naturally invites us to pause and reflect on our giving.
So how do we learn and do better for the people and organizations we love? If today feels like a personal “report card” day for your giving, here are some practical ways to improve it right away:
1. Ask better questions before you give.
Ask a nonprofit how your gift will be used, who benefits, how they measure success, and what happens if the project takes longer than expected. A good nonprofit will welcome thoughtful questions, and the conversation often strengthens trust.
2. Look at the whole picture.
The nonprofits doing the deepest, most sustainable work often need staff, training, and systems just as much as programs. Understanding what the organization does and how they do it can illuminate areas of need that align with your giving priorities.
3. Seek Transformation over Transaction.
Transformation often begins quietly with an opportunity or an idea. At Impact100, we assess every grant through two lenses: Is it sustainable, and is it transformational? Look for organizations that don’t just put a bandage on a problem but work to solve the community’s most pressing issues at the root.
4. Embrace humility and learning.
Be open to being surprised. Ask what you don’t know and listen more than you talk. The best philanthropists are curious, life-long learners.
5. Consider collective giving.
When many people give together, pooling individual gifts for a larger grant-, change can be strategic and transformational. That is the simple logic of Impact100: one woman, one donation, one vote. Alone, an individual donation helps. Together, it redesigns possibilities. Adding a collective giving avenue into your philanthropic portfolio can grow your network and your knowledge.
If you want a reminder of what works (and why), look at the impact our movement has produced. By the end of 2025, Impact100 chapters will have awarded more than $178 million through 80 chapters in four countries.
An accumulation of small, purposeful decisions made by real people who learned to give differently. That growth didn’t happen by accident. It came from asking better questions, trusting local leaders, and building systems that let small acts of generosity turn into transformational grants.
Finally, please remember to celebrate and share your generosity! You gave boldly and your gifts made a difference in the world. The point is not perfection; it is progress. December 26th can be a gentle calendar nudge to pause, learn, celebrate, and recommit.