Is Giving Tuesday right for you?

Is Giving Tuesday right for you?

As we approach the final quarter of the calendar year, giving opportunities are beginning to ramp up across the world due to the many holidays and end of year needs. Organizations are preparing to run campaigns that will help to bring awareness to their most impactful causes, the ones that require immediate care and attention. And for you, if you’re not running a campaign yourself, you are likely being contacted by all of those that you have supported or have been associated with in the past to give back and help spread the word.

So how do you know if your organization should participate in this global movement? Let’s review some of the key opportunities Giving Tuesday offers.

Raising Awareness?

Giving Tuesday has been around for just over a decade now, beginning in 2012 as a day that inspires others to do good. This good can be defined in small acts of kindness, volunteering, collaborating and donating. But the concept celebrated through this holiday is really the idea of radical generosity, something that hundreds of millions of individuals have participated in over the last ten years. With the level of energy and awareness Giving Tuesday brings, there is a platform for you to advertise your greatest necessities in a way where the community has the same opportunity to give back to you as they would to other organizations.

The key to donor retention is keeping your community informed and aware! The popularity of this giving holiday can seem overwhelming to many who work in the fundraising space. Due to the amount of participants, it can feel as if you have to fight for attention on that day. But remember that Giving Tuesday is not just short-term fundraising, but rather a perfect opportunity for you to spread the word about your mission so that the community is more aware and informed to give back now or in the future. Your audience will be hearing from so many other causes and you want to make sure you have a public update as well.

Perfect Timing for Engagement

Your community is in the giving sprit this time of year! As many of you already know, Giving Tuesday always falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This holiday often kicks off the month of December, where roughly 30% of yearly charitable giving occurs. It comes at a time where your donors are already in their emails waiting for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. You have the opportunity to capitalize on an audience that may already be willing or prepared to give during this time of year.

Because more donors are more likely to give during this time of year, the number of Giving Tuesday participants continues to increase. Research shows that 10% of the U.S. population supported Giving Tuesday by donating in 2021. Additionally, just over 35 million people supported this movement through donating and volunteering combined last year. If your supporters cannot give right away, there is always still the opportunity to engage this group by offering volunteer opportunities.

Consider the timing of this holiday when you are planning to promote any end of year campaign. Maybe you don’t have an official Giving Tuesday event or campaign planned, but that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from the timing of this holiday. Make sure to use it to your advantage by promoting these causes as a way for your supporters to learn more and engage with your organization on Giving Tuesday! You can also do the same for those holiday and end of year funding needs that run throughout the last quarter of the year.

A Chance to Try Something New

Just like any new fundraising campaign, Giving Tuesday presents another opportunity for your institution to engage new donors or potential future donors. Because this holiday offers a lot of visibility for so many causes, you have another chance to spread the word about needs and goals and attract those that care about making a difference. So why not use this attention to try something new?

Studies show that in 2021, 82% of non-profit organizations used Giving Tuesday to try something new in their approach to fundraising. This includes trying new channels, promoting to new audiences, using new technology as well as updating the marketing plans and strategies to include new ways of attracting engagement for Giving Tuesday campaigns. If you are considering testing out a change to your fundraising plan, it might be worth using this as a chance to do so.

As we just discussed, many donors are more likely to give during this time of year and research shows that 10% of the U.S. population supported Giving Tuesday by donating in 2021. Additionally, just over 35 million people supported this movement through donating and volunteering combined last year. If your supporters cannot give right away, there is always still the opportunity to engage this group by offering volunteer opportunities.

Takeaway

In conclusion, remember that above all else, this annual event is meant to bring people together in the spirit of giving back. If you have ways that your community can help fulfill some of your organization’s needs, consider keeping a channel open on November 29th. If you don’t feel you have the resources to promote a big campaign, you can always lean into your volunteers to spread the word on social media and share the reasons why they have supported this campaign to encourage other participants.

Some of the larger Giving Tuesday efforts have built up to these results after a few years of joining in on this big day, so it’s never too late for you to get started!