The economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has created extreme fundraising challenges for nonprofits, but also some moments of unity and inspiration. One of these is Giving Tuesday Now, which is happening today.
Traditionally Giving Tuesday is held the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Last year’s event raised $2 billion in giving just in the United states alone. On March 31, organizers announced plans to have a second Giving Tuesday – dubbed Giving Tuesday Now – on May 5 in order to encourage and celebrate the giving spirit sparked by the universal challenge and increased need caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. They will still be holding their regularly scheduled Giving Tuesday on December 1.
Nonprofits can learn some good lessons from the successful organization of Giving Tuesday Now.
Create a sense of urgency
Placing a date on which to give, in this case May 5, has helped shake people out of the inertia of thinking they should probably donate at some point to inspire them to give now. Creating a moment can also give members of the media a reason to cover your organization now rather than waiting to do a story or not doing one at all.
Don’t be overly tied to tradition
The organizers of Giving Tuesday didn’t allow themselves to be restricted by the time of year when they always have had their event, but instead became inspired by the extreme need to think out of the box and embrace a new time of year. Think about your own calendar of events and get creative to find new moments and new ways to generate interest in your organization.
Being part of a group effort helps everyone
Being part of a larger event such as Giving Tuesday Now adds to the feeling that we are all in this together and your organization is part of a larger movement. The organizers have created an interactive map to show how widespread involvement is.
Seek out matching donation opportunities
When planning your campaign consider asking one of your larger donors to give a big enough donation to match what is donated by others. Seek out organizations like Stand Together Foundation that have matching programs. Having matching donations in place generates more revenue for your organization, while making donors feel like their contribution is making an even bigger difference.
Make the most of social media
The use of a universal hashtag like #GivingTuesdayNow can help you reach a new audience and encourage them to engage with you. Have a planned social media campaign to go along with your event that includes posts throughout the day with compelling language explaining why people should give to your organization. If possible, have someone monitoring traffic so they can respond when people engage.
COVID-19 has helped many of us to separate what is important from what is not. We are reminded to appreciate what we can do instead of what we can’t. Everyone with the means to do so can take a moment today to think about what causes are important to them and donate what they can, so these organizations can continue their important work. There are non-monetary ways to give back as well. Points of Light has a list of volunteering options in the Boston area from writing letters to self-isolating seniors to sharing your work expertise as a mentor. Give back today.
