Nonprofits hoping to make up for a slow donation year are looking to GivingTuesday for a boost in charitable contributions, and the AG is warning donors to be careful about where they donate.

With the tax year winding down and the holiday season fast approaching, many households will use the time left in the year to give a little back to their communities and GivingTuesday, which began as a hash tagged internet meme in 2012, has morphed into an annual donation day which comes after the retail whirlwind of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.

The event “is driving a net increase in giving” globally, according to organizers.

“In 2022, an estimated $3.1 Billion were donated in twenty-four hours in the U.S. alone, a 15% increase over the prior year and a 25% increase since 2020. On November 29, 2022, 37 million adults participated by offering gifts of time, voice, skills, goods, and money, as well as countless acts of kindness inspired by the movement,” the group writes.

This year’s GivingTuesday comes after a poor year for charity, according to the National Council of Nonprofits, which said in an August report that many of their member organizations expect to end the year with even fewer donations than 2022, when the number of donations made were already down over 3%, falling year over year for just the fourth time in the last four decades.

Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell’s office, in anticipation of the rush to donate, issued an advisory for those feeling charitable.

“During the ongoing holiday season and observance of GivingTuesday, residents across the Commonwealth will be making or solicited to make charitable donations in various forms,” Campbell said. “My team and I are issuing guidance for residents to ensure that those able to give can make well-informed decisions when donating and are able to make the most impact with their donations.”

Campbell’s office said the AG, “encourages consumers who are solicited for donations to ask questions so they can understand who is contacting them and where their money would go. Specifically, consumers should find out how much of every dollar they donate will go to charity as opposed to being retained by the professional fundraiser.”

Solicitors are also required to register with the AG’s office, she said, and public charities must file annual reports with the Non-Profit Organizations/Public Charities Division.

Amy Pirozzolo, head of donor engagement at Fidelity Charitable, said her organization expects 2023 will see a boost in end-of-year donations over last year. The end of the year can typically account for 30% of annual giving, she said.

“We are super, super optimistic about what the year-end is going to look like,” Pirozzolo said.

Campbell’s office offers tips for giving season at mass.gov/info-details/giving-wisely-to-charity.

Herald wire services contributed.