In the midst of these turbulent times, donors are seeking out opportunities to respond and participate in giving back. Giving Tuesday offers a rallying point for donors to align their values with organizations that help them overcome feelings of powerlessness. With #GivingTuesday quickly approaching on November 30th, 2021 here are 6 tips we’ve curated for you to maximize the day and those leading up to it.

1. Give Something Away

The theme of Giving Tuesday is generosity and kindness. Maybe this is your chance to demonstrate generosity! Do you have a valuable resource to help potential donors right now? A white paper, an e-book, a video series, or an online Bible study? Engage new people who care about the people you serve by turning the tables this Giving Tuesday and giving something to them. If you’ve been looking for a way to find new donors or new audiences, this is a great opportunity to do just that.

2. Tell Donors What Their Money Does

Donors want to know what their money can do and want to partner with organizations that make a real, tangible difference. This Giving Tuesday, make sure donors know where their money will end up and how it will make a difference. Be specific! Instead of a generic “Give Today” or “Your $25 gives hope,” try using “$25 makes sure a child receives life-saving food supplies, today.” Both appeals ask for the same amount of money but the second statement gives the donor a clear visual of the impact their $25 could have.

3. Use Matching Gifts

Last year’s Giving Tuesday was a great success across the charitable sector, raising $21.9 million in the first 24 hours. When matching incentives were offered, there was an even stronger donor response. Canadians love thinking that their donation is on sale! (I know this gets me every time!) Do you have a major donor or corporate sponsor that would consider this unique match appeal opportunity? Ask them! In your e-appeal, remember to tell your donors a couple of times that their donation has double the impact.

4. Get Creative with Social Media 

With such a quick turnaround in gearing up for November 30, combining social media with your email list is what will rule #GivingTuesday. According to CanadaHelps, the number one source for donor traffic on Giving Tuesday is Facebook and our experience is that most donor audiences spend more time on Facebook than other social platforms. Get creative! Use videos as much as you can–but keep them short, knowing 30 seconds or 1-minute maximum are ideal. Use well-targeted, effective social ads (especially if you have video available). Our team has curated exceptional social media advertising campaigns that have seen shockingly excellent results for non-profit organizations (Contact us if you want to know more). Get interactive and consider going live on Facebook or Instagram and always link your posts to the donor page. Make sure to include the following hashtags with your posts: #GivingTuesdayNow, #MardiJeDonneMaintenant, #GivingTuesdayCa, #MardiJeDonne

There are some tools already available to you - click here to download this year’s #GivingTuesday social media tool kit from Canada Helps.

5. Create a Donor-Centric Landing Page

A great online fundraising page is clear, not too text-heavy, includes a persuasive ask, is one-click to donate and loads quickly. Wondering how to test it? Ask three people in the target demographic of your donor to try out the page before you launch it. They’ll tell you what you need to change! Using a fundraising thermometer on your donation page is a great way to boost engagement and instant gratification. Help people see that they’re moving the needle, and encourage them to invite others to participate as well!  Ask for a specific amount based on your donor pool’s history. Giving donors limited choices can also help them in their decision making, while too many options can promote indifference.

6. Curate the Aftermath

After #GivingTuesday, keep building relationships with your donors! Report back on what you said you would do with the donor’s money. Post thank-you graphics all over your social media, send an email to donors who didn’t participate letting them know there is still a chance to donate, and include a summary of the campaign’s success in your next newsletter. It is important to stay in touch with new donors but remember to respect their boundaries. Sending an appeal right away may not be the right call, so instead, let them know how much of an impact they helped make. Click here to visit the official website of the #GivingTuesday Movement to learn more.

Bonus Tip: Promote your Monthly Donor Program 

Consider highlighting your monthly giving program or, if your donor base tends to skew younger, a three-month short-term giving plan (such as $33/month for three months) on Giving Tuesday. What a great opportunity to engage new donors or one time donors on an ongoing basis! You know this already, but monthly donor programs offer a higher ROI compared to one-time gifts. When designing your campaign, keep in mind that you are interacting mainly with one-time donors that have the potential to become monthly donors – if you build the right relationship.

Sources: https://givingtuesday.ca/gtnowhttps://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/giving-tuesday-ideas/

The Apostle Paul quotes Jesus in Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Hopefully these tips can be our gift to you as you head into this season! 

Definition: #GivingTuesday is a global movement that unleashes the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.