Nonprofits Worth Celebrating: Bonusly's Recommended Rewards Calendar
If it feels like there's always something to celebrate at work, that's because there is!
For all our talk about the "Future of Work" here at Bonusly, we find that daily and monthly celebrations help us stay grounded in the present and feel more connected to our colleagues and teammates.
Recognizing and celebrating your team’s racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds can help build psychological safety and employee engagement.
In this post, you'll find links to our best workplace holiday celebration guides so you can plan in advance. You'll also find a month-by-month breakdown of the donation reward options that we'll highlight in the Recommended Rewards section of Bonusly users' home feed each month to correspond with heritage and awareness months.
By and large, the charities listed in the global Bonusly Reward Catalog operate with an American or international mandate or they focus on crisis response. Bonusly's leadership team selected this group of nonprofit organizations with input from our employee-led Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Group and from Bonusly customers, many of whom have written in over the years to request additional donation reward options. The promoted rewards calendar that follows is always subject to change.
January
January is Poverty Awareness Month; over 11% Americans are affected by poverty and hunger. January is also the start of the calendar year, a time when many are focused on physical and mental health goals. Unfortunately, there are major healthcare disparities in the USA disproportionally affecting people of color, women, and lower income groups.
Bonusly will promote the following donation reward options during January in recognition of Poverty Awareness Month and the start of the new calendar year: Southern Poverty Law Center and Black Women's Health Alliance.
February
Black History Month is observed every February in the United States and Canada and every October in the United Kingdom. Check out our blog post 8 Meaningful Ways to Celebrate Black History Month at Work to learn more about how Black History Month got started (it used to be a week-long celebration) and find inspiration for celebrating with your colleagues.
Bonusly will promote the following donation reward options during February in recognition of Black History Month: Black Girls Code and NAACP.
March
Women's History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society and has been observed annually in the month of March in the United States since 1987.
Falling every year on March 8th, International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Read our post 5 Ways to Empower Your Team on International Women's Day for ways to reflect and celebrate.
Bonusly will promote the following donation reward options during March in recognition of Women's History Month: Tides Foundation and Code.org.
April
April 22 is Earth Day. Earth Day was first observed on April 22, 1970, and celebrations now include a wide range of events coordinated globally by EarthDay.org. Check out Bonusly's post 5 Sustainable Ways to Celebrate Earth Day at Work to plan your Earth Day celebrations.
Bonusly will promote the following donation reward options during April in recognition of Earth Day: National Park Foundation and The Nature Conservancy.
May
May is Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to spotlight well-being and expand access to support and resources. At Bonusly, we believe mental health is foundational to thriving teams and healthy workplaces.
This month also honors fallen service members on Memorial Day, honoring their sacrifice and service.
Bonusly will promote the following donation reward options during May in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month and Memorial Day: Black Women's Health Alliance and Folds of Honor Foundation.
June
June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and learn more about what it means to be queer. Read our post, 3 Actionable Ways to Support LGBTQ+ Employees During Pride Month and Beyond to understand more about how to welcome and celebrate LGBTQ+ employees all year long.
June is also Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, a time focused on brain awareness, education, and advocacy. Globally, over 57 million people are living with dementia. Of those, 60 to 70% battle Alzheimer’s disease, underscoring the urgent need for awareness.
Bonusly will promote the following donation reward options during June in recognition of Pride Month and Alzheimer’s Awareness Month: GLAAD and Alzheimer's Association.
July
July marks two key observances: Make a Difference for Children Month, dedicated to improving the lives of children, and World Youth Skills Day, which promotes skill-building for young people worldwide.
Bonusly will promote the following donation reward options during July in recognition of World Youth Skills Day and Make a Difference for Children Month: Save the Children and Code.org.
August
August is National Civility Month, a holiday established to remind the world to treat others the way we wish to be treated. At Bonusly, we encourage this both within and outside the workplace.
Bonusly will promote the following donation options during August in recognition of National Civility Month: Doctors Without Borders and the American Red Cross.
September
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, time to raise awareness and funds for further advancements in childhood cancer treatments. Globally, an estimated 400,000 children and adolescents between the ages of 0 and 19 are diagnosed with cancer each year. September is also the traditional start to the school year.
Bonusly will promote the following donation options during September in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and the start of the school year: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and City Year.
October
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and, according to breastcancer.org, it is a month dedicated to "supporting people diagnosed with breast cancer, including metastatic breast cancer, educating people about breast cancer risk factors, and stressing the importance of regular screenings." October also marks the start of Global Diversity Awareness Month, a time to celebrate and promote a greater understanding of our differences.
Bonusly will promote the following donation options during October in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Global Diversity Awareness Month: American Cancer Society and Special Olympics.
November
November is Prematurity Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness and funds for research and advancement in the prevention and treatment of premature babies. November is also Veterans Day, a day originally instated to celebrate the end of World War I, still observed today to honor the sacrifices of veterans.
Bonusly will promote the following donation reward options during November in recognition of Veterans Day and Prematurity Awareness Month: Project Hero and March of Dimes.
December
December is Universal Human Rights Month. December is also HIV/AIDS Awareness Month and World AIDS Day falls on December 1. An estimated 39.9 million people were living with HIV in 2023, with 630,000 deaths from HIV-related illnesses worldwide, making education and awareness about it imperative.
Bonusly will promote the following donation reward options during December in recognition of Universal Human Rights Month and HIV/AIDS Awareness Month: International Rescue Committee and (RED).
Keep reading
You can always add facilitate charity donations with Bonusly's Custom Reward feature. If you're not familiar with Bonusly, schedule a demo to learn more about the engagement platform that makes recognition and rewards fun for both employees and managers!
