With Giving Tuesday arriving later than usual this year (December 3 versus November 28 in 2023), non-profits have a unique opportunity to jumpstart their campaigns and capitalize on end-of-year generosity. In this week’s edition of the Goodness Report, we’re giving you three strategies to help your non-profit get an early advantage and ensure success, even working under an abbreviated timeline.
Launch a Campaign Awareness Initiative in Advance
Just because Giving Tuesday falls later in the calendar this year, it doesn’t mean that your communications need to. Start your Giving Tuesday journey in November by creating excitement well before the actual day. Use email newsletters and social media channels to share inspiring stories, highlight your mission, and showcase the incredible change that donations can make this year. Building early awareness and buzz amplifies engagement and primes your audience for meaningful participation once Giving Tuesday arrives. At Idea Hall, we’ve seen clients like Team Rubicon gain traction by using multimedia storytelling—such as video testimonials and data-driven infographics—to highlight the real-world impact of donations. Use these tools to appeal to the heart, inspire sharing, and keep your cause top-of-mind for donors.
Leverage Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
One of the most effective ways to mobilize your community is to encouraging volunteers, board members and supporters to set up their own fundraising pages in advance. By giving them easy-to-use templates and resources to share their personal stories of why they are involved, you’ll empower partners to expand your organization’s reach and introduce new audiences to your cause. Peer-to-peer fundraising not only strengthens connections within your community but also extends your impact exponentially. Idea Hall client Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County has expanded their reach and impact in the community by encouraging corporate partnership opportunities such as employee volunteering and team building, employee lunch and learns, employee giving and employer matching, and hosting Virtual Food Drives, to name a few of the opportunities. They also provide actionable ways that partners can take action like their “5 Ways to Give – Donate Now, Donate Monthly, Host a Virtual Food Drive, Volunteer, and Advocate” – campaign and offering a Corporate Toolkit on their website that is free to the public.
Set Clear Goals and Communicate Them
A stated and measurable goal builds a shared sense of purpose and motivates contributions. By sharing and even challenging your supporters to help achieve something bigger than themselves, magic can happen.
To support your fundraising goals, use visuals such as heart-warming photos, infographics, and storytelling about the people your organization serves and to illustrate what various levels of giving can achieve. Visually sharing the tangible impact of giving (e.g., meals provided, homes built, lives changes) not only makes large number more relatable, but it also boosts engagement and provides measurable value to donors who want to make a difference. Incorporate this clear messaging into your Giving Tuesday campaign by detailing the impact at various levels of giving.
Source: Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County
As a best practice, our client Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County consistently shares the impact their donors, volunteers, and partner network have on helping support their mission of providing dignified, equitable and consistent access to nutritious food and creating a foundation for community health. They incorporate the impact in numbers and data points across their digital marketing channels in social media posts, email marketing campaigns, newsletters, and more.
With specific, measurable goals, you help donors feel like part of a larger mission—one they’re motivated to support. Frequency in your communications also keeps your cause top-of-mind, making it easier for your audience to act on Giving Tuesday.
By going early and engaging intentionally, you’ll lay a solid foundation for a successful Giving Tuesday, turning its late date into a strategic advantage. Let’s make the most of this year’s extended runway!
If you’re interested in igniting success for your organization, or to explore how your organization can partner with Idea Hall, please contact Rebecca Hall at Rebecca@ideahall.com.