In 2013, more than $335 billion was donated to charities, primarily from individual donors.
There's no doubt that money was much appreciated by the receiving charities. But these days, charities are asking for more than just a check.
Charities are asking for participation and sharing.
It is in this way that they can get more people to notice the charity, thereby increasing their donations.
Here are some popular charity campaigns that have famously used marketing to promote their events, fund-raising initiatives and awareness.
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
When everyday people started dumping buckets of ice on their heads and posting the videos online, spectators started become participants.
Soon, word spread that this was a fun way to support the cause for ALS. Celebrities got in on the act, whole groups of firemen and even politicians.
Ultimately, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was a giant success, and more than $100 million was raised to fight what is commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Relay for Life
The Relay for Life organization supports funding for the American Cancer Society.
Relay for Life participants form teams of community members who are willing to camp overnight at high school track fields, malls and parks across the nation.
Team members then relay with each other while walking or running the distance. Donations are earned when participants get sponsors to pay them a certain amount of money per mile walked or ran.
Last estimates claim that more than $2 million has been raised via Relay for Life since it started 10 years ago.
Susan G. Komen Foundation
The Susan G. Komen foundation has basically taken over the entire month of October as breast cancer awareness month.
The foundation's pink ribbons start appearing everywhere, and even tough footballers can be spotted sporting pink runners and pink uniforms. In a sponsorship move that any savvy marketer would envy, certain food brands have taken up the cause.
If a shopper purchases a can of tuna, for instance, that has a pink ribbon, a minute percentage of the sale goes to the Susan G. Komen foundation.
The following article, "Millennials & Charity: How to get involved (infographic" explains more about how charities have overturned old-fashioned fundraising methods in favor of more modern social marketing tactics to get our attention.
If you want to get involved in helping a charity nowadays, you'd better have some event planning experience!