Erika Plunkett thinks of Giving Tuesday as not just a date on the calendar but as a celebration of generosity that has inspired her for over a decade.
As a veteran nonprofit leader and founder of Ama, an organization serving underserved youth, Plunkett has long admired the joy and impact of this global day of giving.
Now, she’s channeling that passion into something new: the first-ever Grand Rapids Giving Day, set for Dec. 3.
“This isn’t just a one-day event,” Plunkett says. “It’s the beginning of a movement to build a community of nonprofit leaders, foster collaboration, promote sustainability, and encourage philanthropreneurship in Grand Rapids.”
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Courtesy Erika PlunkettNonprofit leader Erika Plunkett has helped launch Grand Rapids Giving Day.
Grand Rapids Giving Day is designed to bring together 50 local nonprofits with a goal of raising $250,000 and inspiring 100,000 acts of kindness across the community. It’s modeled after the success of Amplify Austin Day, which raised $10 million in its inaugural year.
Connection and collaboration
The event will be held at the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation, 1530 Madison Ave. SE. Activities will begin at 11 a.m. and continue throughout the day, creating many ways for attendees to engage.
The itinerary is designed so nonprofit leaders, community members, and business professionals can connect and collaborate. Activities include a social enterprise pitch, where 15 local innovators will present ideas designed to create sustainable social impact. Judges will narrow the field to five finalists, who will each receive a portion of $10,000 in funding provided by Fifth Third Bank.
Plunkett says the pitch competition exemplifies the event’s focus on “philanthropreneurship,” a movement that combines business acumen with social impact to create lasting change.
“This is about leveraging the strengths of both the nonprofit and business sectors to create innovative, sustainable solutions,” she says.
The event will also feature nonprofit speed networking, in which nonprofit leaders can connect with industry experts for rapid-fire, one-on-one conversations. It’s designed to foster collaboration and provide nonprofits with access to resources that might otherwise remain out of reach.
Attendees can also explore volunteer and board opportunities with the 50 participating nonprofits. Plunkett says many of the organizations are similar to Ama, grassroots or female-founded. They are also committed to driving innovation.
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Courtesy Grace A PhotographyGrand Rapids Giving Day will feature nonprofit speed networking, in which nonprofit leaders can connect with industry experts for rapid-fire, one-on-one conversations.
‘Culture of kindness’
In addition to fundraising, Grand Rapids Giving Day aims to inspire 100,000 acts of kindness throughout the city. From volunteering to simple gestures like paying for a stranger’s coffee, the campaign encourages residents to embrace generosity in all its forms.
“This is about more than money,” Plunkett says. “It’s about cultivating a culture of kindness and showing how small actions can add up to big change.”
Her enthusiasm for Giving Day was elevated during a chance meeting at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. While attending the Midwest House event, Plunkett met one of the founders of Amplify Austin Day. That conversation convinced Plunkett that a similar model could thrive in Grand Rapids.
“They raised $10 million in 24 hours with a team of just seven women,” Plunkett says. “Hearing their story made me realize we could do something just as impactful here.”
In 2023, Kent County residents donated $2.5 million on Giving Tuesday, according to Plunkett, a response she credits to the city’s strong culture of giving, combined with the innovative approach of Grand Rapids Giving Day.
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Courtesy Grace A PhotographyErika Plunkett hopes connections will continue to grow long after Giving Day, creating a network of support that strengthens the entire nonprofit community.
New bonds already being created
The most rewarding part of organizing Grand Rapids Giving Day has been witnessing the connections it fosters among nonprofit leaders, Plunkett says.
A pre-event meeting has sparked several new collaborations for attendees, including one that directly benefited her own organization, Ama.
“This year, we struggled to secure donations for our holiday food program,” Plunkett says. “Through Giving Day, we were able to partner with a local food pantry to fill the need. That’s the power of coming together.”
She hopes these connections will continue to grow long after Giving Day, creating a network of support that strengthens the entire nonprofit community.
Grand Rapids Giving Day is open to the public, and registration is $3. Attendees can drop in at any point during the day, whether for the lunch hour, cocktail hour, or a discussion on strategic nonprofit growth. For those unable to attend in person, donations can be made online at
grgivingday.org.
“This day is about bringing people together,” Plunkett says. “Whether you’re a nonprofit leader, a business professional, or just someone who wants to make a difference, there’s a place for you at Grand Rapids Giving Day.”