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StoriesEvents GivingEveryTuesday

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! 

Design Your Campaign

Nonprofits, community organizers, grassroots groups, and mutual aid networks from all over the world have been using GivingTuesday as a galvanizing moment for their communities since 2012. From amplifying your mission to fundraising, rallying volunteers to building a movement for your cause, there are hundreds of different ways to participate in GivingTuesday. Here are some ideas:

  • Fundraise for your organization
  • Fundraise for another organization.
  • Collaborate with other organizations to host a clothing or supply drive, a holiday food drive for your community or a virtual festival for your community members to learn about all the organizations’ missions.
  • Thank your supporters. Host a thank-a-thon or add to a virtual donor wall.
  • Amplify others. Share the work of other nonprofits, activists, and community organizers.
  • Generate buzz. Share how your organization is positively impacting your community.

No matter how you decide to participate, be sure to set clear goals like rallying a certain number of new donors or mobilizing a certain number of volunteers.

More Ideas

Find more ideas, case studies, and inspiration on our nonprofit hub page.

Get More Ideas

Registration for GivingTuesday

There is no registration for GivingTuesday. All organizations, registered charities or otherwise, are all welcome and encouraged to participate in GivingTuesday.

No matter how you’re planning on participating on December 3, 2024, you’ll simply direct your supporters to your website, a landing page, or to your social channels. If you are fundraising for GivingTuesday, you can use any donation platform you like – most organizations use their website’s donate button, crowdfunding, or peer to peer tools of their choosing.

Be sure to check if your country or city has an official GivingTuesday movement – some local movements do have a registration process.

Share Your Impact Story

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

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.

 

Activate Your Community

The question we’re asked most often by nonprofits is: “How do we reach new donors?”  The answer is to mobilize your existing community to speak on your behalf. Social proof is extremely powerful. Think about things you can ask your audience to do that will help you tell your story. Here are some ideas:

  • Tap your biggest fans to run peer-to-peer fundraisers for you. You can use Facebook’s tools or your existing donation platform. Be sure to put together a quick toolkit to help your fundraisers succeed! Include sample emails, text message scripts, and graphics. Cheer them on along the way!
  • Use the hashtag #GivingTuesday – the buzz amplifies your reach by expanding your normal audience + encouraging new supporters to get involved with your nonprofit! 
  • Ask your most passionate supporters to share why they’re involved in your mission on their social media pages. People need to see themselves in order to get inspired to take action.
  • Collaborate to spread your message farther; the new Instagram Collaboration feature cross-posts content to two pages. Partner with local small businesses and media outlets and ask them to share your story.

Strategize on Social Media

  • 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! 

Use a Multi-Channel Approach to Spread the Word

  • A screenshot of an Outlook calendar invite that says "It's GivingTuesday" and a photo of an Apple Watch notification that says "It's GivingTuesday"Announce that you’re participating in GivingTuesday ASAP and build anticipation with a countdown to December 3! 
  • Pitch your local press. Use our Sample Press Release to share your campaign plans with local media. Journalists are clamoring 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.

Email is Your Most Important Tactic

WIth the precarity of social media at this current moment, email is your best tactic to deploy on GivingTuesday. Be sure to send multiple emails, both in the lead up to Nov 28 and on the day. Focus your messaging on your impact story and use targeting and personalization to ensure that the right message is reaching the right person.

To Supporters - Save the Date
To Supporters - Give Today

The biggest opportunity on GivingTuesday is to mobilize a groundswell of support for your cause. You’re creating a movement of like-minded, passionate individuals who will walk hand in hand with you to help you achieve your mission. We’re so grateful to you for the work you do to make the world a better place. Thank you for helping us to use the power of generosity to build the world we all imagine to be possible.