Giving Tuesday Best Practices
The first Tuesday after Thanksgiving each year is designated as Giving Tuesday. This practice was started in 2012 by the United Nations Foundation and the 92nd Street Y in New York. Giving Tuesday is a day that encourages people to do good, and the idea is now an internationally recognized day to contribute to charity.
Traditionally, the days after Thanksgiving kick off holiday shopping, bringing the bombardment of sales, and the promotion of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Giving Tuesday is like an antidote to all the frenzied consumption with the opportunity to give back and make a meaningful difference.
Since its inception in 2012, Giving Tuesday has grown into a global movement and inspires millions to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
Asha Curran, CEO of Giving Tuesday
"Generosity is a core trait and value that brings people of all races, faiths, and political views together," Asha Curran, Co-founder and CEO of Giving Tuesday told Markets Insider.
"...Our ultimate goal is to inspire generosity not just on one day a year, but to transform the way we think about and act on giving year long."
Asha went on to say, "One of the reasons that the GivingTuesday movement has grown so rapidly around the world is that it's intentionally an "unbranded" idea. It's a movement that can be adapted and co-owned by diverse communities, organizations, or individuals, and changed to reflect diverse identities. This idea of co-ownership is key to its growth; it is made by many, governed by many, and changed by many."
Incorporating the spirit behind Giving Tuesday, your nonprofit can use its “unbranded” idea to align with your nonprofit's goals and to tailor it to your specific needs.
Nonprofit Best Practices For Giving Tuesday
1.) Prepare early
There are never enough hours in the day, and so it is imperative to start early with your preparations. Make sure that your plan is detailed enough to consider all essential campaign aspects.
As with any campaign, donor engagement is all-important. Engagement will help drive your Giving Tuesday campaign and increase the likelihood of donors continuing their giving in the future.
2.) Double-Check Your Giving Tuesday Donation Page
We learned, even more so in 2020, that online charitable giving was a way that donors could readily participate in campaigns.
Mobile donations were extremely popular, and the use of these online formats will continue to grow.
The Blackbaud Institute annual charitable giving report showed that online charitable giving increased by 21% last year.
It will be important to your nonprofit that you optimize your donation page to seamlessly handle online donations.
If your donors don't have a quick and flawless online or mobile experience, they are less likely to complete their donation. This can lead to page abandonment, or it can lead to them not donating in the future.
When checking your Giving Tuesday donation page, make sure that you have:
A quick page loading time
Simple, easy questions on the form
Just a few images
Have a mobile-optimized donation page
Use a confirmation page
Have a well-crafted confirmation email
3.) Test Your Software Beforehand
It may seem a no-brainer but check your donation page well in advance of Giving Tuesday to ensure that it is working correctly. You can get caught up in putting things together and assume they work only to discover that something has gone awry on Monday night.
Try donating to your own nonprofit to test out the software. Better yet, have someone not familiar with your campaign try out the software and give you a critique of their experience.
You will want to know:
Is it easy for visitors to your website to find the Giving Tuesday donation page?
A prominent call-to-action button should lead donors right to the page for easy accessibility.
Does your Giving Tuesday donation page load on all browsers, especially mobile?
The vast majority of Americans, almost 97%, now own a cellphone of some kind. Smartphone ownership is at about 85%. A supporter who is able to donate without being at their desk or laptop is an advantage for all concerned.
Are the donation forms easy to fill out, and can you complete the process without glitches?
I had a frustrating personal experience with wanting to donate online to a cause I believed in. The organization provided sight-saving surgery to children by flying mobile surgical units to their patients, making it easier to deliver care.
The website donation page would not complete the donation process and did not store any past information, making each attempt at donating as if it was the first time a person donated.
Frustration with the process made me resort to putting a check in the mail and eventually searching for a similar organization that made the process painless and easy.
Is an email confirmation sent out immediately?
When testing your donation page before Giving Tuesday, all donations should receive an email confirmation.
This lets your donors know that you have received their donation and it is a great time to include a heartfelt thank you.
Receiving immediate confirmation of a donation assures your supporters that their contribution was received by your nonprofit and it also provides them with a gift receipt.
4.) Have A Giving Tuesday Facebook Campaign
Giving Tuesday should take advantage of the social media platforms that most people use and are familiar with. Giving Tuesday on Facebook can reach supporters and their network of friends and family.
Your nonprofit may not have the size or scope of a large social media presence, but there are still strategies to be gleaned and applied on a smaller scale.
Your nonprofit could solicit assistance from influential social media users who also support your cause. These supporters could help get the word out.
They could post about your campaign and use Peer-to-Peer Fundraising by FundEasy to fundraise for Giving Tuesday.
Use Crowdfunding To Achieve Your Goals On Giving Tuesday
At FundEasy, Crowdfunding can make your Giving Tuesday campaign simple. Made especially for nonprofits, you will be able to raise more money without spending a dime.
Crowdfunding will allow you to easily set up and share your campaign, invite new donors and get deposits straight to your bank.
This sample Crowdfunding campaign page has it all. It is straightforward, clear, and concise. It states a goal, allows donors to see the progress and the deadline within which to contribute.
The giving “button” is in the forefront; it is easy to see and creates the emphasis to donate promptly.
Everything a potential donor needs to know is neatly and cleanly listed on this one page. The call to action is given first, the Giving Tuesday movement is acknowledged, and the organization’s mission, contact information, and areas of need give a donor all the information that they need.
Like the rest of us, donors live busy lives and are pulled in many directions. Using this type of Crowdfunding format makes it easy for donors to see the impact of their giving.
Be sure to check out Crowdfunding from FundEasy before you start your Giving Tuesday projects.
Final Thoughts
During the day on Giving Tuesday, keep in touch with your supporters. Create content beforehand that you will share at different times throughout the day. You might want to:
Post throughout the day on social media
Send email updates during the day
Live-stream to keep in touch with donors
Post updates on your blog
Send out videos and educational content to your supporters
By frequently communicating with your supporters on Giving Tuesday, you will help to keep them engaged throughout the campaign and show that your nonprofit is also actively involved.
Visit here for Tools + Resources such as downloadable graphics and logos for Giving Tuesday.
If you'd like to learn more about our Attendance, Peer-to-Peer or Crowdfunding Products, please reach out! We'd love to chat.
Also, if you haven't joined already, we have an exclusive Facebook Group just for our customers! If you are a current FundEasy Customer and would like to join, go here to learn more and request to be added!
Crystal Hoag
This article was inspired by our customers and written to encourage your fundraising efforts. Although we work with nonprofits and events daily, our team members are not Event Consultants. We encourage you to consult with your event consultant, executive team, and/or affiliate organization before making any major changes to your events.
