Secrets to GivingTuesday Success

GivingTuesday is an opportunity for people around the world to come together to give back in all forms-acts of kindness, gifts of voice, time, talent, or treasure. Nonprofits and community organizations can leverage the energy of GivingTuesday to tell their stories, engage lifelong advocates, and build a movement for their causes – and that’s way more powerful than just collecting donors.

GivingTuesday is right around the corner, but there’s still time to plan a successful GivingTuesday campaign! This guide provides simple organizing tactics you can use to rally support for your campaign. It’s not too late to activate your community and inspire more giving this year! 

Simply telling your audience that they should give because it’s GivingTuesday isn’t enough. 

You need to tell a compelling story that will pull people in, make them see themselves, and then make them see themselves as part of the solution to the problem. Use storytelling to reduce the distance between the individual and the cause. You want your audience to reflect on your Instagram post long after put down their phone…and be compelled to share it! This is how you generate participation, networking, growth, and ripple effects — all of the forces that combine to form a movement that people feel they’re a part of. Your organization’s goal becomes collective.

• Make sure your social pages show your organization in its best light. You’re going to have lots of new people looking at your profile pages – can they easily discover your impact within the first few seconds of scrolling? Make sure you’re posting often over the next couple of weeks about your organization and its impact using the hashtag #GivingTuesday. Pin an Instagram highlight story to the top of your profile so visitors can easily tell what your organization does.
• Create content that inspires people to get involved in your cause. 
• Share stories that illustrate your impact; this might be from the viewpoint of the people you serve, that person’s boss, their family…
• Educate your followers about the problem you’re working on solving and they’ll feel more invested and inspired to participate.  This is also widely shared content.
• Focus on TikTok and Reels – these are the only two social media mechanisms that are specifically designed to show your content to people who do not already follow your page!
• Go live. Share behind the scenes at your nonprofit. Let your clients share their stories too.
• Be creative and start a challenge! 

• Announce that you’re participating in GivingTuesday ASAP and build anticipation with a countdown to November 29! 
• Pitch your local press. Use our Sample Press Release to share your campaign plans with local media. Journalists are clamouring for “feel good stories” and GivingTuesday is a great opportunity to get some TV, radio, and local newspaper coverage. 
• Email your supporters to let them know that GivingTuesday is coming and specific details about how they can get involved. (Sample below!)
• Send your supporters a calendar invite. Literally. Attach a calendar invite file to your email (or use a tool like Add Event). You should provide exact instructions for what you’d like them to do on GivingTuesday including a link to what it is you want them to do.
• Over the Thanksgiving holiday make sure your staff’s email auto-responder mentions your upcoming GivingTuesday campaign with instructions for how to participate!
• Canvass the neighborhood with flyers. Don’t forget a QR code.
• Go big on social media! Schedule as much as possible in advance.