All You Need To Know About Giving Tuesday

What exactly is Giving Tuesday? 

Giving Tuesday, also known as a global day of giving or a global generosity movement, is celebrated each year on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. Nonprofits in the United States alone raised $2.7 billion on Giving Tuesday 2021.

Why do nonprofits take part in this global giving day?

There are few opportunities to drive significant attention among a larger audience outside of awareness days, days that are significant for individual causes or organisations, or national or international crises.

Giving Tuesday is a day full of opportunities for nonprofits. Because many people are now aware of it and may even set aside money each year to donate on that day, it's an excellent opportunity for nonprofits to highlight their missions, solicit donations, and gain new supporters. Nonprofits that want to increase their visibility and capitalise on a day of giving should participate.

Because nonprofits have varying resources, a nonprofit's involvement can sometimes be as simple as sharing a single social media post or sending an email newsletter.

When is Giving Tuesday?

Giving Tuesday 2023 will take place on November 28th. Every year, the date is the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. Given that Thanksgiving is in the fourth week of November, Giving Tuesday falls on either the last Tuesday of November or the first Tuesday of December.

Many consider it to be the start of the giving season, as it immediately follows three major shopping days: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday.

Because it usually falls in late November or early December, some nonprofits use the day to launch end-of-year giving campaigns to capitalise on people making their final tax-deductible donations for the year. Nonprofits benefit from the generosity of those who want to make a difference during the holidays.

What are the most effective ways to raise funds on Giving Tuesday?

There is no shortage of ideas for developing your Giving Tuesday campaign. Your campaign should be appealing to supporters and engaging. Among the effective and engaging campaign ideas are:

• A peer-to-peer fundraiser in which supporters create personalised donation pages and collect gifts on your behalf.
• A text-to-give campaign in which your organisation sends supporters a text message with a link to your online donation page.
• A pledge drive in which you collect pledges from supporters who promise to pay the donations by the end of the year.
• A Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram fundraiser in which you share links to your donation page.
• A direct email campaign where you send letters to supporters with compelling images and fundraising requests

To make the giving process easier, make sure your organisation has a well-organized online donation page. The page should only request essential information, such as donors' names, contact information, and payment information. Use a variety of call-to-action (CTA) buttons throughout your website to direct traffic to this page and make your donation page easy to find.

Tips for a Successful Giving Tuesday Campaign

Whatever fundraising strategy you use, there are certain best practises you should adhere to in order to maximise your Giving Tuesday campaign results. When planning your Giving Tuesday strategy, keep the following suggestions in mind:

1. Begin planning as soon as possible. The more people who know about your Giving Tuesday campaign, the more money you can raise. Begin planning your campaign several months in advance to ensure that you have a clear game plan for developing fundraising ideas, branding your campaign, and promoting your giving opportunities.

2. Make a plan. Set a reasonable but ambitious goal based on your previous Giving Tuesday performance. For example, if your campaign raised $30,000 last year, you could set a goal of $37,000 this year.

3. Establish a communication schedule. Plan an email series to send to supporters in the weeks leading up to Giving Tuesday. Share impact stories, including photos and videos of community members who will benefit from their efforts.'

4. Reach out several times on Giving Tuesday. Stay active on social media and send one or two emails throughout the day to raise awareness and enthusiasm for the giving day. You can also use a tool on your website, such as a fundraising thermometer, to show progress toward your goal.

5. Express your gratitude. Send out immediate thank you messages to donors to show them how much your organisation values and appreciates them. After Giving Tuesday, send another, more detailed thank you email outlining whether you met your goal and how you plan to use donations in the future.

With these guidelines in mind, you should be able to plan a successful Giving Tuesday campaign that lays the groundwork for future donor engagement.

Conclusion

Giving Tuesday is a day when people are encouraged to give back in whatever way they can. It allows nonprofit organisations to raise even more money than they would on an average day, which is why many create special campaigns to participate.