8 Giving Tuesday Strategies for Nonprofits That You Can Try this 2023

Giving Tuesday is a global movement that aims to break the cycle of giving at the end of the year and inspire people to give back, not just at Thanksgiving or Christmas, but as a way of life throughout the year. In response, nonprofits and other organizations have adopted Giving Tuesday as an opportunity to focus fundraising efforts.

If you’re an executive director with an eye on expansion, capital campaign, or some other strategic initiative for your nonprofit organization, now is the time to begin planning and implementing your plans for using Giving Tuesday to your advantage.

Here are some 8 Giving Tuesday ideas, strategies and best practices that can help you do just that:

Host an online fundraising event

With the rise in popularity of live-streaming platforms such as Facebook Live, Instagram Live, and YouTube Live, you can now host an online fundraising event that your supporters can tune into and participate in real-time.

Depending on the platform you choose, you can also save a recording of the video to use again in the future or as a central hub of your online fundraising efforts. This event can be hosted on any day and at any time, but it can also be a great way to kickstart your Giving Tuesday fundraising efforts.

You can invite your own supporters and other interested parties to tune in and participate in the event and then use it as an opportunity to promote the benefits of giving to your organization throughout the year.

You can also host an online event as an extension of your offline giving days and solicit donations on Giving Tuesday itself. You can do this on social media and other online platforms, and you can also use email marketing to do so.

Invite your email list to donate

With the bulk of your donor base likely using email marketing to communicate with their friends and family, this is one of the best ways to get your donors engaged in Giving Tuesday.

You can host a small campaign that asks your subscribers to donate to your cause, and you can include a note at the end of your regular emails that remind your subscribers of the importance of giving on Giving Tuesday.

You can also use email marketing as an extension of your live-streamed event, inviting donors to participate in your event and donate at the same time. Asking your supporters to donate via email can be an excellent way to get the funds flowing on Giving Tuesday, but be sure to follow the rules for email marketing and related regulations, so you don’t get into trouble.

Turn the day after Giving Tuesday into a lead-gen opportunity.

If you want to take advantage of the additional press coverage that Giving Tuesday receives as well as the chance to boost your donation numbers, you can host a simple campaign that asks your donors to make a one-time donation after Giving Tuesday.

You can ask them to donate as much or as little as they want, and you can ask them to make this donation in honor of someone else or in their own name. You can also use the day after Giving Tuesday as an opportunity to ask for recurring donations from your donors.

You can ask them to make monthly donations that are consistent from one month to the next, and you can use this as an opportunity to grow your monthly giving program and increase your revenue.

More ad placement and sponsorship opportunities

It’s not just about collecting donations on this special day; it’s also an opportunity to promote your brand or cause.

Advertisers can partner with charities to promote Giving Tuesday as an effective fundraising strategy. They can also sponsor events or donate products or services. Companies can also donate their ad space and choose how much they want to donate, such as 100% of ad revenue or 10% of ad revenue.

By offering more opportunities for donation and sponsorship, companies can increase awareness and encourage people to make a difference.

Offer a small thank-you gift to donors on Giving Tuesday

Depending on the type of donors you have and their relationship with your nonprofit organization, you may want to offer a small thank-you gift in addition to their donation. This can be a small token of their generosity, and depending on your budget, it can also be something that inspires future gifts from your donors.

Depending on what type of gift you offer and how expensive it is, you may want to offer it to donors who make a certain level of donation or hit a certain threshold.

This is a fantastic way to incentivize giving on Giving Tuesday, and it can lead to an increase in recurring donations and a higher average gift amount.

Run a matching fundraiser on Giving Tuesday

Donating money to a cause can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a great way to help others. One of the best ways to do this is by running a matching fundraiser on Giving Tuesday.

It’s when online fundraising platforms like GoFundMe, YouCaring, and Indiegogo hold matching campaigns to increase their reach. These campaigns let anyone who donates money to another person have their donation doubled.

So, if you donate $25 to one person, that same amount will be donated to a matching donor. This way, you’re helping not just one person but also helping many more people at the same time.

Another great thing about matching donations is that they can show donors that there are many more people who want to help them than they originally thought.

This can motivate donors to keep up their efforts and encourage others to get involved. So, while it might take some time to set up your own campaign, it can be well worth the effort when you’re finally ready to go live.

Create a “no-giving” lead magnet as an opportunity to build your email list

Giving Tuesday is a great day to launch a new giveaway campaign or lead magnet to build your email list and solicit gifts from your donors.

You can create a lead magnet that offers a prize to those who sign up for your list, and then you can use Giving Tuesday as an opportunity to ask for donations from your new list members.

Offer a premium gift as a thank-you gift for signing up to your list, and this can be a great way to incentivize giving for your nonprofit organization and build your email list. This can also be a great way to get the word out about your organization and the value it provides to donors.

Take advantage of platform exposure to promote your mission and ask for ongoing donations

One of the best features of many top fundraising platforms is their ability to provide you with data and statistics that can help you plan your fundraising efforts and determine how successful your giving days are.

You can use these tools to promote your mission, create compelling content, and ask donors to give to your cause.

Many of these platforms also provide donation buttons that you can use on your website, social media posts and any other place where you want to ask for donations.

These tools provide excellent exposure and make it easy for donors to donate to your cause, which can help you to maximize your fundraising efforts on Giving Tuesday.

Final Thoughts

Be sure to use our tips and advice to ensure you have a successful Giving Tuesday campaign. You can boost your donation numbers and grow your support base with the right strategy.

Giving Tuesday is an excellent opportunity to get momentum for your organization and its mission. That said, you shouldn’t treat this day like any other fundraising day. You need to approach it differently and have a different strategy in place if you want to see real results. Make sure you have a plan in place and have purchased any needed ad space well ahead of time to make the most of this opportunity.