Benevolent crowdfunding platform CrowdRise announced its second annual Giving Tower Campaign for #GivingTuesday on Dec. 1.

The virtual tower is surrounded by some of the world's largest and most iconic buildings, and grows with each donation as a visual representation of giving. Nonprofits can create their micro sites within the Giving Tower Campaign, and garner support with #GivingTuesday, Crowdfund Insider reports.

Then participants just select an organization to make a donation. And starting on the 24th, anyone can watch the tower grow brick-by-brick through a free virtual reality app available at iTunes and Google Play.

Last year the Giving Tower grew 2,514 feet; 208 feet shorter than the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. It raised $2.1M on #GivingTuesday alone. The goal this year: build it to the moon. And not just in a "reach for the stars" kind of way; literally build it to the virtual moon.

To sweeten the pot, CrowdRise will donate $25k to the charity that raises the most on #GivingTuesday. Hundreds of organizations have already joined the Giving Tower Holiday Challenge, including founding partners like the American Red Cross, the Human Rights Campaign and March of Dimes.

United Airlines is on board for the second year, and it's offering a MileagePlus bonus award mile to any MileagePlus member who donates $50 or more. The Giving Tower campaign is part of CrowdRise's larger annual Holiday Challenge, which runs through Jan. 7. The friendly fundraising competition gives out $250k in grand and weekly prizes. [CFI]