A Slightly Sacreligious Giving Tuesday To-Do List
Hey fundraiser...I see you. I'm also over here hiding in my coffee cup, in denial that Giving Tuesday 2022 is in 40 days.
And I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed by all of the end-of-year preparations I need to do. I bet you're feeling about as clueless as I am right now.
We're being bombarded with messaging that Giving Tuesday is the most important time of year for fundraisers. And while it's true that this is a critical time for nonprofits to engage with their donors, it doesn't have to be as overwhelming as it seems right now.
Giving Tuesday is Just Like Any Other Fundraiser
Remember that Giving Tuesday is just like any other fundraiser. That means it's not going to magically increase your donations overnight. Yes, this time of year is important, but there are still things that you can do to make the most of your fundraising efforts so that you can exceed your goals this Giving Tuesday...and beyond!
Do have a plan: Make a specific, achievable, and measurable fundraising goal for this Giving Tuesday. Determine how much money you want to raise and how you will measure it, whether that means increasing your donor base or raising more money than last year. The "throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks" method of fundraising rarely works...and it's not going to magically work this Giving Tuesday!
Don't get too caught up on the perfect campaign launch. Better done than perfect! While you may have countless ideas on what you'd like to do for your campaign, remember that it's better to have a plan and launch than to never get started because all of the pieces aren't perfectly in place. At the end of the day, fundraising is about consistency - both with your message and in how you engage with supporters
Do sweat the details and make sure your website and donation page are up-to-date! Check that all of your marketing materials, donation forms, and donation pages are up-to-date and present a professional image so that you don't end up losing donors because of a broken link or messy mobile form!
Don't worry too much about what platform, giving tool, or technology to use. Pick the one that's right for you. When it comes to Giving Tuesday, there are a lot of tools and techniques to choose from when it comes to fundraising. And hey, that can be really overwhelming - especially if you don't have a ton of experience with using these platforms or tools. But remember: If your organization has a website, social media account, and donation form that you can use this Giving Tuesday, then you're good to go!
Do leverage your network for donations and support. There are people who believe in your mission - current donors, volunteers, friends, family, colleagues, and more - and who want to help. These should be the people you're asking for money, not just new donors!
Don't only focus on new donors. Most people give where they already have relationships...and in all the emails and social media post son Giving Tuesday it's unlikely you're going to capture new donors' interest (and money).
Do leverage matching funds from your current donors, board members, and other supporters. If you have donors who are willing to give back this Giving Tuesday, then leverage their support by encouraging them to match any donations they make. This is a great way to not only increase the amount of money you raise this Giving Tuesday, but also deepen your current relationships!
Don't count on getting matching funds from Facebook. While there's always a lot of chatter and excitement about Facebook's matching giving (in 2021 they disbursed $8M in matching funds) the matching funds are used up very rapidly and the odds of you receiving them are, quite frankly low. You're better off focusing on other matching funds and other revenue sources!
Do think about Giving Tuesday as the start of your End-of-Year fundraising strategy. While Giving Tuesday gets a lot of hype and attention, it's not the only day you should be thinking about fundraising. In fact, your Giving Tuesday efforts should be a first step in your broader end-of-year fundraising strategy. Think about how you can continue to engage with donors (and potential donors) throughout the rest of the year as well!
Don't let your Giving Tuesday fundraising efforts consume all the time and energy in your end-of-year strategy. Remember, it's only one day out of 365 days! You should be focusing on other revenue sources as well besides just this one day of giving if you want to ensure that your nonprofit succeeds.
Less overwhelmed now? Me too.
Giving Tuesday is a great opportunity to raise funds for your nonprofit and engage with supporters, but it's important not to worry too much about getting everything perfect. Instead, focus on the basics - launching your campaign on time, making sure your website and donation page are up-to-date, leveraging your existing network of donors and supporters for donations, and more. And remember - Giving Tuesday is just the start of your end-of-year fundraising strategy, so keep thinking about ways to engage with donors and potential donors throughout the rest of the year! Good luck!