Are you ready to plan for your upcoming fundraising year? Check out the list of awareness dates and holidays to make sure you don’t miss any fundraising opportunities!
Cause awareness days, weeks, and months are a fantastic way to link your school, nonprofit, or business to the greater good.
In 2020, we published a list of great global cause movements. Some dates do move around, so we have updated those for you.
We also have some new ideas for 2021! See the bold bullets for fresh ideas.
January
Days:
- 17th World Religion Day
- 18th Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
- 28th Data Privacy Day
Month Long:
- Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month
- Cervical Health Awareness Month
- Dry January
- National Blood Donor Month (United States)
- National Glaucoma Awareness Month (United States)
- Thyroid Awareness Month
- Healthy Weight Awareness Month (United States)
- National Mentoring Month (United States)
In the United States, the week of the 24th is National Catholic Schools Week.
February
Days:
- 2nd World Wetlands Day
- 4th World Cancer Day
- 9th Safer Internet Day
- 5th National Bubble Gum Day
- 13th World Radio Day
- 14th World Bonobo Day
- 14th Valentine’s Day
- 15th President’s Day (United States)
- 17th Random Acts of Kindness Day
- 20th World Day of Social Justice
- 21st International Mother Language Day
- 21st World Whale Day
- 26th World Spay Day
- 27th International Polar Bear Day
- 28th Rare Disease Day
- 28th Digital Learning Day
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, Black History Month (United States) and American Heart Month.
Children’s Mental Health Week is the 1st to the 7th.
March
Days:
- 2nd Read Across America Day (United States)
- 3rd World Wildlife Day
- 8th International Women’s Day
- 14th World Kidney Day
- 15th World Consumer Rights Day
- 15th World Sleep Day
- 18th Global Recycling Day
- 21st International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
- 21st International Day of Forests
- 21st World Down Syndrome Day
- 21st World Poetry Day
- 21st International Day of Nowruz
- 22nd World Water Day
- 23rd World Meteorological Day
- 24th World Tuberculosis Day
- 27th (8:30 pm Local Time) Earth Hour
- 31st National Crayon Day (United States)
Month Long:
- Brain Injury Awareness Month
- Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
- Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
- National Women’s History Month (United States)
- Red Cross Month
- National Umbrella Month (United States)
- Ethics Awareness Month (United States)
- National Caffeine Awareness Month (United States)
- National Nutrition Month (United States)
Eating Disorders Awareness Week is March 1st to 7th this year.
April
Days:
- 1st Fun at Work Day
- 2nd World Autism Awareness Day
- 4th Easter Sunday
- 7th World Health Day
- 11th Good Deeds Day
- 12th International Day for Street Children
- 14th World Dolphin Day
- 15th World Art Day
- 23rd, 24th, and 25th Global Youth Service Days
- 20th Volunteer Recognition Day
- 22nd Earth Day
- 22nd Administrative Professionals’ Day (United States)
- 23rd World Book Day
- 24th International Sculpture Day
- 25th World Malaria Day
- 25th World Penguin Day
- 26th World Intellectual Property Day
- 29th International Dance Day
- 30th International Jazz Day
Month Long:
- Alcohol Awareness Month
- Autism Awareness Month
- National Youth Sports Safety Month (United States)
- National Child Abuse Prevention Month (United States)
- Military Child Month (United States)
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month
- National Volunteer Month (United States)
- Parkinson’s Awareness Month
- Stress Awareness Month
- Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
- World Habitat Awareness Month
- Donate Life Month
- Math Awareness Month
National Robotics Week starts on the 3rd, and National Public Health Week starts on the 5th.
May
Days:
- 1st International Labor Day
- 3rd World Press Freedom Day
- 3rd Melanoma Monday
- 8th World Fair Trade Day
- 10th World Lupus Day
- 11th World Fair Trade Day
- 12th World Migratory Bird Day
- 12th International Nurses Day
- 15th International Day of Families
- 17th Endangered Species Day
- 17th International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia
- 17th World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
- 18th International Museum Day
- 21st National Nurses Day (United States)
- 21st World Meditation Day
- 21st World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
- 22nd International Day for Biological Diversity
- 23rd World Turtle Day
- 29th International Day for UN Peacekeepers
- 31st World No Tobacco Day
- 31st Memorial Day (United States)
Month Long:
- Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
- Better Hearing and Speech Month
- Clean Air Month
- Foster Care Month
- Mental Health Awareness Month
- ALS Awareness Month
- Brain Tumor Awareness Month
- Jewish Heritage Month
- National Barbeque Month (United States)
- National Arthritis Month (United States)
- National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month (United States)
- National Physical Fitness and Sports Month (United States)
- National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month (United States)
In the United States:
- Nurses’ Week falls from the 6th to the 12th.
- Women’s Health Week is the 9th to the 15th.
- Teacher Appreciation Week is the 3rd to the 7th.
- Brain Tumor Action week is the 2nd to the 8th.
June
Days:
- 1st Global Day of Parents
- 5th World Environment Day
- 8th World Oceans Day
- 12th World Day Against Child Labor
- 14th World Blood Donor Day
- 17th World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
- 20th World Refugee Day
- 21st International Day of Yoga
- 22nd World Rainforest Day
- 23rd International Widows Day
- 26th International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
- 26th Gay Pride Day
- 30th International Asteroid Day
Month Long:
- International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
- Professional Wellness Month
- Adopt a Cat Month
- African-American Music Appreciation Month
- Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
- LGBTQ Pride Month
July
Days:
- 4th Independence Day (United States)
- 4th International Day of Cooperatives
- 11th World Population Day
- 12th Malala Day
- 13th National French Fry Day (United States)
- 15th World Youth Skills Day
- 18th Nelson Mandela International Day
- 28th World Hepatitis Day
- 29th Global Tiger Day
- 30th World Day Against Trafficking in Persons
- 30th International Day of Friendship
July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month. It is also National Ice Cream Month in the United States!
The 11th through the 17th is National Therapeutic Recreation Week in the United States.
August
Days:
- 1st National Minority Donor Awareness Day (United States)
- 4th National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day (United States)
- 8th International Cat Day
- 9th International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
- 10th World Lion Day
- 12th International Youth Day
- 12th World Elephant Day
- 17th National Nonprofit Day
- 17th International Homeless Animal Day
- 19th World Humanitarian Day
- 26th International Dog Day
- 29th International Day Against Nuclear Tests
Month Long:
- American Indian Heritage Month
- Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month
- National Breastfeeding Month (United States)
- National Immunization Awareness Month (United States)
- Black Business Month (United States)
World Breastfeeding Week is the 1st to the 7th.
September
Days:
- 3rd National Foodbank Day (United States)
- 4th National Wildlife Day (United States)
- 5th International Day of Charity
- 6th Labor Day (United States)
- 8th International Literacy Day
- 10th World Suicide Prevention Day
- 15th International Day of Democracy
- 21st International Day of Peace
- 22nd World Rhino Day
- 27th World Tourism Day
- 28th World Rabies Day
- 29th World Rivers Day
- 29th World Heart Day
- 29th National Coffee Day (United States)
Month Long:
- World Alzheimer’s Month
- Biodiversity Month
- Healthy Aging Month
- Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month
- Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
- National Hispanic Heritage Month (United States)
September 5th to the 11th is National Suicide Prevention Week in the United States.
October
Days:
- 1st International Day of Older Persons
- 1st World Smile Day
- 2nd International Day of Nonviolence
- 4th World Animal Day
- 5th World Teachers’ Day
- 6th World Cerebral Palsy Day
- 7th World Habitat Day
- 8th World Sight Day
- 9th World Post Day
- 10th World Mental Health Day
- 10th World Homeless Day
- 11th International Day of the Girl Child
- 11th Columbus Day (United States)
- 11th Indigenous People’s Day (United States)
- 11th National Coming Out Day (United States)
- 12th World Arthritis Day
- 13th World Thrombosis Day
- 15th International Day of Rural Women
- 16th World Food Day
- 16th Global Cat Day
- 17th International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
- 18th World Values Day
- 21st International Day of Peace
- 24th United National Day
- 25th National Art Day (United States)
- 27th World Day of Audiovisual Heritage
- 29th World Internet Day
- 31st World Cities Day
Month Long:
- Cyber Security Month
- Down Syndrome Awareness Month (United States)
- Energy Awareness Month (United States)
- Hunger Awareness Month (United States)
- Learning Disabilities Awareness Month (United States)
- LGBT History Month (United States)
- SIDS Awareness Month (United States)
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month (United States)
The week of the 3rd is Mental Illness Awareness Week.
November
Days:
- 8th National STEAM/STEM Day
- 10th World Science Day for Peace and Development
- 11th Veterans’ Day (United States)
- 12th World Pneumonia Day
- 13th World Kindness Day
- 14th World Diabetes Day
- 15th World Philosophy Day
- 16th International Day for Tolerance
- 18th World Philosophy Day
- 19th World Toilet Day
- 20th Universal Children’s Day
- 20th Africa Industrialization Day
- 21st World Pancreatic Cancer Day
- 21st World Television Day
- 25thInternational Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
- 25th Thanksgiving Day (United States)
- 30th Giving Tuesday
November is National Native American Heritage Month in the United States, along with the Great American Smoke Out Month.
Other United States recognitions include Recycling Awareness Month, Lung Cancer Awareness Month and Military Family Month.
Hanukkah is from the 28th to December 6th.
December
Days:
- 1st World AIDS Day
- 3rd International Day of People with Disabilities
- 5th International Volunteer Day
- 5th World Soil Day
- 7th International Civil Aviation Day
- 9th International Anti-Corruption Day
- 10th International Human Rights Day
- 11th International Mountain Day
- 15th National Cupcake Day (United States)
- 18th International Migrants Day
- 20th International Human Solidarity Day
- 25th Christmas Day
December is Universal Human Rights Month!
>> Please add your favorite awareness dates in the comments!