It’s the most giving time of year! The official start of the charitable holiday season begins today, Giving Tuesday. Celebrated every first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, #GivingTuesday is billed on their website as a “global generosity movement”. According to Nonprofit Source, $380 million was raised online last year. Many nonprofits create Giving Tuesday campaigns around the importance of giving to their organization or cause and a year-end fundraising push.
We shared in a previous blog post the Effective Holiday Season Fundraising Tips For Nonprofits, mentioning the importance of using the Giving Tuesday hashtag. With the charitable day already underway, there is still time to contribute and even more ways to emphasize Giving Tuesday online and offline. Here are some tips donors can use on Giving Tuesday and throughout the holiday season.
Matching gift campaigns
Many organizations are in need of donations to advocate for their cause and maintain day-to-day operations. Some nonprofits are fortunate to have double or triple matching gift campaigns from anonymous donors on #GivingTuesday. Employers also partner with nonprofits for giving campaigns. One way to check if an employer is matching gifts by visiting Giving Tuesday’s Double the Donation search tool. Here donors and nonprofits go through a step-by-step guide on how to become eligible and provide graphics to promote the Double the Donation tool through a website and social media.
To find out more information for specific nonprofit campaigns running this time of year, check out the nonprofit’s website, newsletter or social media to see if they have a matching gift campaign running.
Direct philanthropic giving
Online and direct mail contributions are essential to a nonprofits’ success. Direct donations such as goods and necessities are also essential for the greater community they are serving. Around the holidays, some organizations set-up giving trees, secret snowflakes and other drives as ways to engage with their communities to give winter clothes, food or offer shelter. Check out each of the nonprofit organization’s websites, social media or local newspapers to seek what additional support they may need during the holiday season.
Donate time to volunteer or fundraise
Giving your time to an organization by volunteering or participating in a fundraiser is equally significant as donations. Organizations host events, holiday meals or other fundraising events and would love extra helping hands with year-end projects around the holidays. Donating your time to help a nonprofit’s cause means so much, and inspires others to support all year round.
Share all the good on social media
Promote your Giving Tuesday endorsements on social media:
- Use #GivingTuesday hashtag
- Tag the nonprofits’ social media accounts
- Take a picture or screenshot of your contribution
- Share your story in the caption on Facebook, Instagram, or SnapChat stories
- Start a Facebook Fundraiser
- Tweet or give shout outs in comments
If you are a nonprofit who benefited from Giving Tuesday, don’t forget about Thank You Wednesday.Show gratitude towards donors and volunteers by acknowledging them in a thank you post after #GivingTuesday:
- Use #ThankYouWednesday hashtag
- Share impact made through an infographic
- Take a staff photo or video saying “thank you”
No matter how you give back this holiday season, every act of generosity counts. Everyone has something to give. By giving time or expertise, monetary donations large or small, simple acts of kindness, donating food or clothing or sharing a thoughtful giving success story. Each act of kindness means even more when we give together.
