Originally founded in 2012, Giving Tuesday is a day dedicated to encouraging people to do good. What began as a simple idea—to give back after the rush of Black Friday—has become a global phenomenon. Now hundreds of millions of people every year contribute to causes they care about and embrace the spirit of generosity.
In 2024, Giving Tuesday falls on December 3rd, but you’ll want to get started on developing your strategy, designing your campaign, and spreading the word about the event long before that!
The exact date of GivingTuesday varies every year, but it always falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States—following Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
GivingTuesday is often referred to as #GivingTuesday due to its history in social media success. But the hashtag is simply a way for those celebrating the day to connect with one another, and with the nonprofit organizations they support.
Hashtags are used across social media platforms to indicate a post is related to a key word or phrase. Searching “#GivingTuesday” allows people browsing the tag to see all activity and communication related to GivingTuesday, and find more organizations to support during this incredible day of giving.
Capitalize on the Year-End Giving rush early and join in on this great annual event!
There are no hard and fast rules for what your nonprofit should do to participate in GivingTuesday. While a few social media posts promoting your organization on GivingTuesday is a low-cost way to get involved, you may ultimately benefit more from a coordinated, planned campaign effort.
Here’s what we love about GivingTuesday: it doesn’t require a big investment to simply join in on the fun, but you can get out of it what you put into it. The most important thing is that you have a way for donors to give, and that you offer them a reason to give.
1. An online donation page online donation page where you can point potential donors to give to the cause.
2. A way to promote your GivingTuesday donation page.
1. A specific cause to fund with a clearly outlined goal.
2. A publicity and outreach plan.
3. A timeline leading up to GivingTuesday.
4. Pre-written posts , promotional content, and e-blasts.
Whether it’s through casual participation or a coordinated campaign effort, GivingTuesday is an effective way to raise the profile of your nonprofit, reach new people who care about the cause like you do, and raise money for the mission.
How your nonprofit gets involved in GivingTuesday is up to you. One or two posts on the day of the event might secure a few donations; a customized GivingTuesday page with a coordinated promotional effort could get a few more; and a planned campaign building up to the event could go viral, spreading the word about your nonprofit and the amazing work you do.
The fundraising potential of GivingTuesday is limitless, and depends only on the strength of your campaign strategy and the power of your message.
Get Started Early! Don’t wait until November 29th, 2022 to craft your posts and get the word out about your nonprofit’s GivingTuesday fundraising push.
Make This the Best #GivingTuesday Yet! Go beyond the hashtag. While hashtags remain in wide use, there are many more ways to spread the message about your organization.
Influencers, celebrities, and any other well-known individuals make great ambassadors. An ambassador is someone who shouts about the cause to their audience and grows your word-of-mouth reach.
Ambassadors Take #GivingTuesday from Zero to Hero Use multi-channel marketing. Email blasts, snail mailers, personal phone calls and other forms of outreach and publicity (such as TV, radio and newspaper ad spots) can all work together to develop a holistic, effective campaign and marketing strategy. [blog post about this from the archives?]
Victoria Leonhardt is the Leadership Manager for US Communities GivingTuesday. Victoria joins Greater Giving to share insider tips to help nonprofits maximize their GivingTuesday success.
In this insightful webinar, you will learn to:
– Set your goals for GivingTuesday
– Design story-based calls-to-action for all types of giving.
– Optimize performance through enhanced digital communications.
– Engage community through in person events
– Embrace the Giving Tuesday movement for better preparation and team success.