NEW ORLEANS — Catholic parishes, schools, and ministries across the Archdiocese of New Orleans have until Nov. 1 to register for #iGiveCatholic on GivingTuesday, the U.S. Catholic Church’s annual day of giving. To help organizations prepare, the New Orleans-based Catholic Community Foundation, which created #iGiveCatholic in 2015 and administers the local campaign, hosted its first “Prep Fest” on Thursday, Sept. 17.
The free event drew more than 50 representatives from local nonprofit organizations across the Archdiocese. It featured presentations from Foundation leaders, a panel discussion, and time for attendees to compare notes on what worked in past campaigns.
“In our experience, the organizations that do well on the giving day tend to be the ones that started planning early,” said Cory J. Howat, executive director of the Catholic Community Foundation. “Prep Fest is our way of sharing what we have learned over the past decade, so that every parish, school, and ministry has the same head start.”
Now in its 12th year, #iGiveCatholic has grown from its New Orleans origins into a giving day that drew donors from every U.S. state and 27 countries in 2025. The Archdiocese where it began remains its largest source of donors: more people gave through #iGiveCatholic in the Archdiocese of New Orleans last year than in any other participating diocese. Locally, 5,364 donors gave $1,902,200 in support of 148 ministries.
The campaign arrives as the Foundation marks its 50th anniversary, closing a year spent celebrating Catholic generosity across the Archdiocese.
Organizations must be approved by the Foundation before registration closes at 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 1, so those interested are encouraged to apply well ahead of the deadline. Advanced Giving opens Nov. 16, GivingTuesday falls on Dec. 1, and Extended Giving closes at the end of Dec. 8.
To register, learn more about #iGiveCatholic New Orleans, or view participating organizations, visit igivecatholic.org/community/neworleans.
About #iGiveCatholic
#iGiveCatholic is a bishop-led initiative in collaboration with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and dozens of individual dioceses to bring the Catholic community together to inspire and support generosity. #iGiveCatholic is an independent 501(c)(3) organization that hosts the annual U.S. Catholic Church’s giving day, #iGiveCatholic on GivingTuesday, as well as the Nebraska Catholic Day of Giving in May and year-round online giving for hundreds of Catholic organizations.
About the Catholic Community Foundation
The Catholic Community Foundation, a separate 501(c)(3), is the charitable giving partner for faithful donors and a trusted resource for Catholic nonprofits across the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Since 1976, the Foundation has helped donors give wisely and faithfully, for today and for tomorrow, to the causes they care about most. Through donor-advised funds, endowments, legacy gifts, and other giving vehicles, the Foundation connects donors’ generosity with the needs of Catholic parishes, schools, and ministries, guiding every gift by the teachings of the Catholic Church. In 2026, the Foundation celebrates a half-century of Catholic generosity. Learn more at ccfnola.org.